Ed Butowsky
Edward "Ed" Wayne Butowsky | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 12, 1962 |
| Occupation(s) | Financial advisor, author, media commentator |
| Known for | Managing partner at Chapwood Investments, creator of the Chapwood Index |
| Notable work | Wealth Mismanagement: Insider Revelations from Wall Street on Financial Adviser Pitfalls and Strategies to Safeguard Your Investments; Never Go Broke: A Professional Athlete’s Investment Handbook |
Edward "Ed" Wayne Butowsky (born February 12, 1962) is an American financial advisor, author, media commentator, and managing partner at Chapwood Investments, LLC, a private firm specializing in wealth management advisory services.
In 2018, Butowsky became connected to a Fox News report that suggested the murder of Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffer Seth Rich was related to a leak of DNC data. He was named as a co-defendant in litigation initiated by the Rich family, which alleged that the report propagated conspiracy theories and caused emotional harm. The dispute was ultimately resolved through an out-of-court agreement, including an apology from Butowsky to the Rich family.
Early life and education
Born in 1962, Butowsky grew up in Laurel, Maryland and Chappaqua, New York. His father, David Butowsky, held the position of chief enforcement officer at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Chapwood Investments
In 2005, Butowsky established Chapwood Investments, a private wealth management firm where he continues to serve as managing partner. He is the creator of the Chapwood Index and by 2013 was managing portfolios for approximately one hundred professional athletes. Additionally, he co-founded the Clubhouse Investment Club alongside baseball player Torii Hunter, targeting celebrity and athlete investors. Prior to this, Butowsky worked as a managing director at Bear Stearns.
His 2019 publication is titled Wealth Mismanagement: A Wall Street Insider On the Dirty Secrets of Financial Advisers and How to Protect Your Portfolio.
Chapwood Index
The Chapwood Index was developed by Butowsky to measure genuine increases in the cost of living across the United States. Updated twice yearly, it tracks unadjusted price changes for the top 500 consumer goods and services purchased with after-tax income in the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas.
Butowsky has also created several investment-related tools including The Chaptimizer, 8 Metrics, Chapvest, Portfolio Enhancer, Chip Score, and Side by Side Calculator. In 2012, he launched Paramount Access Advisors, a 1940 Act fund focused on investments in hedge fund strategies.
Controversies
In June 2018, Butowsky initiated a $57 million defamation lawsuit in U.S. federal court against NPR and journalist David Folkenflik, accusing them of promoting a "false narrative" regarding his role in a retracted Fox News story that connected the murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich to the 2016 DNC email leak disseminated via WikiLeaks. He further alleged that Folkenflik conspired with legal counsel to extort Fox News. Butowsky maintained that the original Fox News report was accurate. Although the trial was scheduled for mid-2021, he later dropped multiple lawsuits related to Seth Rich, including the prominent defamation case against NPR and its reporter.
By August 2020, Butowsky continued to uphold the accuracy of the withdrawn Fox News article, asserting that the Rich family possessed proof linking Seth Rich to both the DNC email leak and WikiLeaks. However, by October 2020 he appeared to distance himself from these claims following Fox News’ settlement with the Rich family.
Subsequently, NPR filed suit against Butowsky and his attorney Steven Biss for allegedly submitting false statements to courts. In January 2021, as part of a settlement with Aaron Rich—Seth Rich’s brother—butowsky issued an apology and retraction accepting responsibility for his remarks and expressing hope for resolution within the Rich family. The details of this settlement were not publicly disclosed.
Books
- Wealth Mismanagement: Insider Revelations from Wall Street on Financial Adviser Pitfalls and Strategies to Safeguard Your Investments
- Never Go Broke: A Professional Athlete’s Investment Handbook
Personal life
Butowsky lives in Plano, Texas with his spouse and their two children.