Breingan is expected to appear in Auckland District Court for the first time next month \u2013 via video link. <\/p>\n
At that hearing, a judge is expected to determine whether the arrest warrant is withdrawn.<\/p>\n
Fraud-accused Alex Breingan has denied 33 Serious Fraud Office charges – here is how he appeared in one of his shows, 100-Day Renovation, in 2019. Photo \/ screengrab<\/p>\n
The Herald has obtained new details of the charges laid by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) against Breingan, the former managing director of Stripe Media (also known as Stripe Studios) in Auckland.<\/p>\n
The SFO alleges he made false representations and used forged documents to obtain more than $4.3m in Government-funded rebates and $10.2m in private lending for a dozen shows.<\/p>\n
The private lending relates to $6.91m from Kiwibank and $3.26m from Australian firm Fulcrum Media Finance, according to SFO court charge sheets.<\/p>\n
Each of the charges carries a maximum penalty of between seven and 10 years in prison.<\/p>\n
Breingan, who now lives in Los Angeles, has denied the charges.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am not guilty of the charges the Serious Fraud Office has laid, and I will defend them in court,\u201d Breingan said in a statement to the Herald.<\/p>\n
He has previously declined to be interviewed but said in the statement that he had spent years building Stripe Media and employed around 250 contractors annually across New Zealand\u2019s screen industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI put my heart and soul into the productions my team and I made, and I am proud of that work. To see all of that taken away from us because of these allegations was upsetting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way productions are funded in the entertainment industry in New Zealand is complex, and I am confident that when the full picture is before the court, it will look very different from the one the SFO has assumed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWatching my career in New Zealand collapse because of these allegations (which I strongly deny) has been devastating. <\/p>\n
\u201cI moved overseas to keep working in the entertainment industry, and I did so before the SFO laid any charges. <\/p>\n
\u201cI have not fled New Zealand to avoid these proceedings and am engaging with the court process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to clearing my name. As the matter is now before the court, I will not be commenting further.\u201d<\/p>\n
UK-born Breingan moved to New Zealand in 2002 but has been in the United States since 2024. While in New Zealand, he co-founded Choice TV (which later became Eden) and later Stripe Media and various associated companies, most of which were special vehicle firms attached to specific productions.<\/p>\n
He has been responsible in the past for shows such as The Circus, Rich Listers and Great Southern Truckers. He also produced the TV3 morning chat show The Cafe from 2016 to 2020.<\/p>\n
The charges, allegations<\/p>\n
The New Zealand Film Commission; Kiwibank; Australian firms Fulcrum Media Finance and Fred Media; Hollywood star David Hasselhoff and American actress and comedian Iliza Shlesinger are among those who have been caught up in the Stripe Media saga.<\/p>\n
Former Baywatch star and Hollywood legend David Hasselhoff hosted a travel series, originally produced by Stripe Studios, in NZ.<\/p>\n
The Herald has obtained court documents outlining the specific SFO allegations and charges that Breingan faces.<\/p>\n
The charges cite 12 separate television productions, including titles identified in court documents by the names of the individual Stripe companies that were set up to finance and produce them.<\/p>\n
The shows include the reality TV series The Circus, Rich Listers 2, Great Southern Truckers, Snow Crew, and Izzy and Beaver\u2019s French Connection. <\/p>\n
Two separate New Zealand travel shows featuring Hasselhoff and Shlesinger are also cited in the charge sheets.<\/p>\n
One of the original Stripe promotions for David Hasselhoff’s and Rhys Darby’s Kiwi TV series.<\/p>\n
Both Hasselhoff and Shlesinger have been among creditors affected by the collapse of Stripe Media and related companies.<\/p>\n
The 33 SFO charges include allegations that Breingan used forged documents and made false representations to secure private production financing and government screen rebates between 2021 and 2023.<\/p>\n
Comedian Iliza Shlesinger.<\/p>\n
Among the charges, the SFO alleges Breingan used or relied upon distribution agreements purportedly involving Australian firm Fred Media and, in some cases, allegedly made false representations about the level of pre-sale finance or payment terms contained in those agreements.<\/p>\n
One charge alleges he obtained a final certificate from the Film Commission for Circus by deception.<\/p>\n
Some charges relate to lending from Kiwibank for productions including Snow, Gold, France, Rich Listers 2 and Circus 4.<\/p>\n
The SFO alleges Breingan falsely represented that productions had met conditions required to draw down loan facilities, including claims that certain levels of distribution guarantee payments had been received from Fred Media or that Film Commission provisional certificates had been approved.<\/p>\n
Further charges concern lending obtained from Fulcrum Media Finance for several shows, including the Hasselhoff and Shlesinger series.<\/p>\n
The SFO alleges Breingan made false representations about distribution agreements and advances said to have been paid by Fred Media as well as funding said to have been received from financier Wonder Street Entertainment, and the existence of Film Commission provisional certificates.<\/p>\n
Additional forgery charges relate to international money transfers and ASB and Kiwibank bank statements.<\/p>\n
As he reiterates in his statement to the Herald, Breingan denies the charges.<\/p>\n
\u2018We continue to consider lending opportunities\u2019<\/p>\n
Kiwibank spokesman Ben Mabon said the company was unable to provide details or specific comment as the matter was \u201cbefore the courts and relates to customer arrangements\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, he also said: \u201cNew Zealand has an amazing screen and creative sector, and we continue to consider lending opportunities in those industries, alongside a broad range of businesses across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe assess each application on its own merits and regularly review our lending practices and make changes where appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fulcrum Media Finance chief executive Zach Parker said: \u201cWe are unable to comment currently.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Fred Media manager who is named in the SFO charges did not respond to Herald messages.<\/p>\n
News tip? Feedback? Email shayne.currie@nzme.co.nz<\/p>\n
Stripe Media was placed in receivership in March 2024, and receiver BDO has previously said its investigations had uncovered \u201cirregularities\u201d in the company\u2019s finances.<\/p>\n
The receiver said these alleged \u201cirregularities\u201d had been referred to \u201crelevant authorities\u201d.<\/p>\n