A once-in-a-century pandemic has sparked an unprecedented health and economic crisis. Less examined is how predatory financial investors have shaped the crisis and profited from it. We examine how U.S. shadow banks, such as private equity, venture capital, and hedge fund firms, have affected hardship and inequality during the crisis. First, we identify how these investors helped to hollow out the health care industry and disenfranchise the low-wage service sector, putting frontline workers at risk. We then outline how, as the downturn unfolds, shadow banks are shifting their investments in ways that profit on the misfortunes of frontline workers, vulnerable populations, and distressed industries. After the pandemic subsides and governments withdraw stimulus support, employment will likely remain insecure, many renters will face evictions, and entire economic sectors will need to rebuild. Shadow banks are planning accordingly to profit from the fallout of the crisis. We argue that this case reveals how financial investors accumulate capital through private and speculative investments that exploit vulnerabilities in the economic system during a time of crisis. To conclude, we consider the prospects for change and inequality over time.

一个世纪以来的大流行引发了前所未有的健康和经济危机。掠夺性的金融投资者如何塑造危机并从中获利，研究较少。我们研究了美国影子银行（例如私募股权，风险投资和对冲基金公司）如何在危机期间如何影响困境和不平等现象。首先，我们确定这些投资者如何帮助挖空医疗保健行业并剥夺低薪服务部门的权利，使一线工人处于风险之中。然后，我们概述了随着经济衰退的发展，影子银行如何以一线工人，弱势人群和陷入困境的行业的不幸中获利的方式转移其投资。在大流行消退和政府撤消刺激性支持后，就业可能仍会缺乏安全感，许多房客将面临驱逐，整个经济部门都需要重建。影子银行正计划从危机的后果中获利。我们认为，这种情况揭示了金融投资者如何通过私人和投机性投资来积累资本，这些投资在危机时期利用了经济体系中的脆弱性。总之，我们考虑了随着时间的推移变化和不平等的前景。