Allianz Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Agrees to Pay $5.8 Billion

Posted on May 25th, 2022 at 10:41 AM
Allianz Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Agrees to Pay $5.8 Billion

From the Desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law:

A unit of Allianz SE has agreed to plead guilty to securities fraud and pay $5.8 billion in fines and restitution following the collapse of a relatively low-risk pool of investment funds amidst pandemic volatility. 

The firm has agreed to pay $3.2 billion in restitution to investors in its Structured Alpha Funds as well as a $1 billion fine to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A former executive at Allianz, Gregoire Tournant, has been separately charged for his role in the alleged securities fraud, according to Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. Tournant, who served as the former chief investment officer, assisted in overstating the degree of independent supervision that AGI was providing, misrepresented several risk mitigation strategies and altered documents to conceal the volatility of the funds, according to prosecutors. 

Despite being created to protect investors from a market downtown, the Structured Alpha hedge funds suffered substantial hits amidst volatility during the pandemic. During the first quarter of 2020, the Structured Alpha hedge funds lost between 49% and 97% of their value. Allianz subsequently liquidated two of the funds in March 2020, and has proceeded to liquidate others. 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, regulatory, arbitration and disciplinary matters. Those investors who lost money in Structured Alpha Funds should contact us.

 
 

Tags:

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next

I want to thank you for your excellent professional representation. It was greatly appreciated.

Michael M.

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

December 22, 2025
FINRA Overhauls Arbitration Rules to Rebalance Arbitrator Selection and Codify Forum Practices

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has approved significant amendments to its Codes of Arbitration Procedure designed to rebalance public arbitrator selection, increase transparency, and formalize several long-standing practices in the arbitration forum.

December 19, 2025
Industry Groups Press Senate at Advance Financial Exploitation Prevention Act

Several industry associations are urging the U.S. Senate to pass the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act, legislation that would allow mutual fund companies and their transfer agents to delay redemptions when they reasonably suspect elder financial abuse.

December 18, 2025
UBS Warns of Rising Default Risk in Private Credit

A UBS report signals that credit stress likely will intensify next year as borrowers confront inflation, elevated interest costs, and softening consumer conditions.