The Serious Fraud Office has laid 33 charges against Breingan, relating to almost $15 million in public and private funding for 13 TV shows, produced under the banner of his Auckland-based Stripe Media (Stripe Studios) company, and associated firms. Stripe Media (Stripe Studios) managing director Alex Breingan is facing 33 charges following a Serious Fraud Office investigation. The IMDB movie database lists Alex James as the founder of 2nd Hour Films. On Instagram, 2nd Hour Films has one post from November 2024 - another promotional image for The Circus of Death and the promise of it “coming soon”. BDO ‘welcomes’ chargesThe receivers of Stripe Media told the Herald that they welcomed the action being taken by the Serious Fraud Office.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 05, 2026 19:00 UTC