VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

In general, VIEs are entities in which equity investors lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support. The Company has variable interests in VIEs through its management contracts and investments in various securitization entities, including CDO issuers. Since the Company serves as the asset manager for the investment entities it sponsored and manages, the Company is generally deemed to have the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance. In the case of an interest in a VIE managed by the Company, the Company will perform an additional qualitative analysis to determine if its interest (including any investment as well as any management fees that qualify as variable interests) could absorb losses or receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE. This analysis considers the most optimistic and pessimistic scenarios of potential economic results that could reasonably be experienced by the VIE. Then, the Company compares the benefits it would receive (in the optimistic scenario) or the losses it would absorb (in the pessimistic scenario) as compared to all benefits and losses absorbed by the VIE in total. If the benefits or losses absorbed by the Company were significant as compared to total benefits and losses absorbed by all variable interest holders, then the Company would conclude it is the primary beneficiary.

Consolidated VIE

The following table reflects the assets and liabilities of a real estate VIE which was included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2012 (in thousands):



	September 30, 2012
Cash and property and equipment, net	$	727
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	189

In November 2012, the property underlying the loan was sold for a gain of $831,000 of which $793,000 was attributable to noncontrolling interests; as such, the Company will no longer consolidate the real estate VIE.

VIEs not consolidated

The Company’s investments in RSO, RRE Opportunity REIT, and its investments in the structured finance entities that hold investments in trust preferred assets (“Trapeza entities”) and asset-backed securities (“Ischus entities”), were all determined to be VIEs that the Company does not consolidate as it does not have the obligation of, or right to, losses or earnings that would be significant to those entities. With respect to RRE Opportunity REIT, the Company has advanced offering costs that are being reimbursed as the REIT raises additional equity which is included in Receivables from manged entities and related parties, net on the consolidated balance sheets. Except for those advances, the Company has not provided financial or other support to these VIEs and has no liabilities, contingent liabilities, or guarantees (implicit or explicit) related to these VIEs at December 31, 2012.

The following table presents the carrying amounts of the assets in the Company's consolidated balance sheets that relate to the Company's variable interests in identified nonconsolidated VIEs and the Company's maximum exposure to loss associated with these VIEs in which it holds variable interests at December 31, 2012 (in thousands):



	Receivables from Managed Entities and Related Parties, Net ⁽¹⁾		Investments		Maximum Exposure to Loss in Non-consolidated VIEs
RSO	$	7,685	$	14,958	$	22,643
RRE Opportunity REIT	—		1,792		1,792
Ischus entities	237		—		237
Trapeza entities	—		912		912
	$	7,922	$	17,662	$	25,584


(1)	Exclusive of expense reimbursements due to the Company.