Grant Cardone appears to contradict himself on whether his real estate funds charge investors extra fees, which is bad news for people who put money into his deals.

• In casual comments, Cardone describes taking a 1% fee when refinancing a property, on top of his 35% cut of profits.
• Under oath in a legal deposition, he dodges the same question, saying he doesn't know if he takes a refinancing fee.
• The gap between the two answers raises doubts about how clearly investors are told what they're paying.
• Extra fees layered onto a big profit share can quietly eat into what investors actually take home.

Outlook: Expect more scrutiny of Cardone's fee structure and how his funds disclose costs to investors.