Hayworth Tanglewood DST Investigation: Versity Investments & Crew Enterprises Investor Alert

Iorio Law PLLC is actively investigating claims on behalf of investors facing losses tied to Hayworth Tanglewood DST, a Delaware Statutory Trust sponsored by Crew Enterprises, LLC (formerly known as Versity Invest, LLC).

Current filings, arbitration claims, and sponsor disclosures point to serious financial irregularities, including misappropriation of funds, suspended distributions, and significant due diligence failures by the broker-dealers who sold these high-risk investments.

These developments are part of a growing series of Versity Investments lawsuits and Crew Enterprises lawsuit updates involving multiple DST offerings nationwide.

Investor Alert: If you invested in Hayworth Tanglewood DST or other Versity-sponsored offerings, your recovery window may be limited. Contact Iorio Law PLLC immediately for a case evaluation.

Property Profile: What is Hayworth Tanglewood DST?

Hayworth Tanglewood DST is a Delaware Statutory Trust formed to acquire a Class A, mid-rise multifamily residential property located in Houston, Texas. 

According to the offering documents:

• Property Type: Class A mid-rise multifamily community
• Property Address: 1414 Wood Hollow Drive, Houston, Texas 77057
• Units: 246 residential units
• Net Rentable Area: Approximately 351,000 square feet
• Site Size: Approximately 3.08 acres
• Occupancy at Acquisition: Approximately 94% leased
• Acquisition Date: June 30, 2022
• Purchase Price: $105.5 million
• Loan Amount: $48 million
• Offering Date: July 27, 2022
• Total Equity Raised: $76,767,365
• Total Offering Price: $124,767,365
• Loan-to-Offering Price Ratio: Approximately 38.47%
• Sponsor: Versity Invest, LLC

The offering was marketed aggressively to 1031 exchange investors.

Why Is Hayworth Tanglewood DST Under Investigation?

The investigation focuses on allegations that the sponsors—specifically principals Blake Wettengel and Tanya Muro—engaged in misconduct that jeopardized investor capital. Furthermore, the broker-dealers who recommended these products may have failed their regulatory duties to vet the sponsors before selling the DSTs to retirees and accredited investors.

Key Allegations and Red Flags:

• Suspended Distributions: Investors have reported halted monthly distributions, a primary indicator of cash flow distress and potential foreclosure risk.
• Misappropriation of Funds: Civil litigation alleges that syndicated investor proceeds were diverted, commingled with other property funds, or used for unauthorized bonuses and personal expenditures.
• Declining Valuation: Market reports in 2025 suggest the property value has fallen below the 2022 acquisition price.
• Prior Knowledge: Public lawsuits filed as early as 2020 alleged similar misconduct by the same principals, raising questions about why broker-dealers continued to sell these products in 2022 and/or fail to disclose the allegations.

The Role of Broker-Dealers: Liability for Due Diligence and Disclosure Failures

Investment firms are not merely order takers; they are gatekeepers. Under Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) and FINRA Rule 2111, broker-dealers have a duty to conduct reasonable due diligence.

Further, under federal and state securities laws, they have a duty to disclose all material information and not to misrepresent any material information.

Selling Firms

Upon information and belief, the following FINRA-member firms sold Hayworth Tanglewood DST:

• AAG Capital, Inc.
• Aurora Securities, Inc.
• Cabin Securities
• Capulent, LLC
• Coastal Equities, LLC (now Realta Equities, Inc.)
• Emerson Equity, LLC
• Lion Street Financial
• MSC-BD, LLC
• WealthForge Securities, LLC
• Westpark Capital, Inc.

The PPM identifies WealthForge Securities, LLC as the exclusive managing broker-dealer, with authority to re-allow commissions to participating selling firms.

Broker-dealers received:

• 6.0% selling commissions
• 0.65% dealer management fees
• 1.0% broker-dealer allowance
• Additional wholesaling compensation

Total upfront selling compensation and offering expenses could exceed 9%.  The high sales commissions and fees can have a negative impact on the profitability of the property and the DST structure.

Potential Violations

Iorio Law is investigating whether these firms:

1. Ignored Red Flags: Failed to investigate the litigation history of Wettengel and Muro (Versity/Crew principals).
2. Disclosure Failures: Failed to disclose to investors that the principals of Versity/Crew, Wettengel and Muro, were previously alleged to have defrauded investors by diverting their funds away from the properties being purchase for syndication and used for undisclosed and improper purposes.
3. Overlooked Conflicts: Failed to analyze sponsor structure and conflicts of interest that involved the principals owning the management company and other affiliated entities, which allowed them to allegedly divert money away from the property.
4. Unsuitable Recommendations: Sold illiquid, high-risk DSTs to conservative investors, retirees, or those requiring stable income.

Sponsor Structure: Conflicts of Interest

The Hayworth Tanglewood offering documents (PPM) reveal a complex web of affiliate-controlled entities designed to extract fees regardless of property performance.

• Asset Management Fees: 1.0% of gross revenue to Versity.
• Property Management Fees: 2.5% of monthly gross revenue to Book and Ladder, LLC (affiliate).
• Bonus Rent: The “Master Tenant” (affiliate) participated in operating income.

These arrangements were not negotiated at arm’s length, creating a direct conflict between the sponsor’s desire for fees and the investors’ need for returns.

Allegations of Misappropriation by Versity, Crew Enterprises, Wettengel, and Muro

Arbitration filings and civil litigation allege that Blake Wettengel and Tanya Muro, principals of Versity Investments and later Crew Enterprises, engaged in:

• Diversion of syndicated investor proceeds
• Commingling of property funds
• Unauthorized transfers
• Payment of improper bonuses
• Use of DST capital for unrelated investments and personal expenditures

Importantly, these allegations pre-date the Hayworth offering. Public lawsuits filed in November 2020, and June 2021 alleged substantially similar misconduct involving the same principals and DST syndication structures.

Hayworth Tanglewood Performance Issues and Distribution Suspensions

According to investor claims and sponsor communications:

• Hayworth Tanglewood DST has experienced declining occupancy levels
• Distributions have been suspended for extended periods
• Sponsor communications regarding property performance have been limited
• Market valuations in 2025 reportedly reflected values below the 2022 acquisition price

Suspended distributions are often a warning sign of deteriorating cash flow and heightened foreclosure risk in leveraged DST structures.

What Hayworth Tanglewood Investors Should Do Now

If you invested in Hayworth Tanglewood DST or any Versity-sponsored DST, you may have claims for:

• Violation of Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) (including failure to conduct reasonable due diligence)
• Material Misrepresentations and Omissions
• Breach of Fiduciary Duty
• Negligence and Failure to Supervise

These claims are typically pursued through FINRA arbitration, which allows investors to seek recovery directly from broker-dealers — even when sponsors face insolvency.

Iorio Law PLLC Represents DST Investors Nationwide

Iorio Law PLLC is a securities arbitration law firm representing investors nationwide. We specialize in recovering losses from unsuitable alternative investments and broker-dealer misconduct.

📞 Call: (646) 330-4624
📧 Email: info@iorio.law
📍 Location: New York, NY | Representing DST Investors Nationwide
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