VTS Vitesse Energy Inc

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

(Rule 13d-101)

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Vitesse Energy, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share

(Title of class of securities)

92852X 103

(CUSIP number)

Joseph S. Steinberg

c/o Vitesse Energy, Inc.

9200 E. Mineral Avenue, Suite 200

Centennial, Colorado 80112

(Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications)

January 13, 2023

(Date of event which requires filing of this statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box  ☐.

Note: Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the Schedule, including all exhibits.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Exchange Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Exchange Act.

This Statement on Schedule 13D (the “Schedule 13D”) is filed by Joseph S. Steinberg (the “Reporting Person”) with respect to the Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”), of Vitesse Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company” or “Vitesse”).

The Schedule 13D provides information on the Reporting Person’s beneficial ownership of Common Stock of the Company. The address of the Company’s principal executive offices is 9200 E. Mineral Avenue, Suite 200, Centennial, Colorado 80112.

The Common Stock was acquired by the Reporting Person as a dividend from Jefferies, in Jefferies’ spin-off of its then-subsidiary Vitesse, completed January 13, 2023. The Reporting Person paid no consideration for the shares of Common Stock received in the spin-off.

The responses to Items 3 and 5(a) and (b) are incorporated by reference. The Reporting Person may, in the future, from time to time explore the feasibility of (including through discussions with the Company) acquiring or disposing of, and may acquire or dispose of, shares of the Company’s Common Stock in private transactions (including transactions with the Company or its affiliates), open market transactions or otherwise, subject to and depending, as appropriate, upon availability at prices deemed favorable by the Reporting Person. The Reporting Person may also receive awards of stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other awards that could result in acquisitions of shares of Common Stock, as compensation for service as a director of the Company.

(a) and (b):

Because fractional shares will not be received by the Reporting Person, in reporting share numbers in this Schedule 13D it is assumed that no fractional shares will be delivered to any account. Share numbers may vary slightly from those reported based on the procedures for dealing with fractional shares of the brokers or other financial institutions that maintain share accounts of the Reporting Person.

The Reporting Person beneficially owned 2,592,743 shares of Common Stock as of January 13, 2023. At that date, the Reporting Person had sole voting and sole dispositive power over 2,580,154 shares, consisting of 287,038 shares held directly, 2,283,141 shares held by corporations wholly owned by the Reporting Person, family trusts or corporations wholly owned by family trusts, and 9,975 shares held in a charitable trust. Shares of Common Stock over which the Reporting Person may have been deemed to have shared voting and shared dispositive power were 12,589 shares held by the Reporting Person’s spouse. Based on shares of Common Stock outstanding following the spin-off at January 13, 2023, the Reporting Person beneficially owned 9.2% of the outstanding class of Common Stock.

(d) and (e): Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: January 20, 2023