SEC v. Gregoire P. Tournant, Trevor L. Taylor, Stephen G. Bond-Nelson — U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Litigation Release No. 26432, dated December 5, 2025.
Three former Allianz portfolio managers have been found responsible for a massive fraud scheme involving a complex options strategy called "Structured Alpha." They allegedly misled investors about the strategy's significant downside risks, concealing the true extent of potential losses. As a result, they have agreed to final judgments, including industry bars and significant financial penalties, to resolve the SEC's charges.
Imagine you invested in a special investment fund that used a complicated strategy to try and make money. The people running the fund told you it was safe, but they actually hid how risky it was. They showed you fake reports that made it look like everything was fine, even when the investment was losing a lot of money. Because they lied about the risks, they are now being held accountable and have to pay back money and are banned from working in the investment industry.
Disclaimer: all facts are drawn from the SEC's own filings; the claims described are allegations unless and until a court rules or the parties settle, and some cases end in dismissal.
On November 26, 2025, the SEC obtained final judgments against three former senior portfolio managers at Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC (AGI US): Gregoire P. Tournant, Trevor L. Taylor, and Stephen G. Bond-Nelson. The SEC had previously charged them with a massive fraudulent scheme that concealed the significant downside risks of a complex options trading strategy called “Structured Alpha.” Tournant, the Lead Portfolio Manager, allegedly orchestrated the multi-year scheme to mislead investors who invested approximately $11 billion in Structured Alpha and paid over $550 million in fees. Taylor, Co-Lead Portfolio Manager, and Bond-Nelson, Portfolio Manager, allegedly assisted Tournant in manipulating financial reports to conceal the strategy's risk and performance. Without admitting or denying the allegations, Tournant consented to a final judgment enjoining him from violations of securities laws, ordering a permanent industry bar, and requiring disgorgement of $17,577,908, deemed satisfied by a criminal forfeiture order. Taylor and Bond-Nelson previously consented to civil injunctions and industry bars. Taylor's final judgment ordered disgorgement of $13,460,708, and Bond-Nelson's ordered disgorgement of $1,610,465, both deemed satisfied by their respective criminal forfeiture orders. In parallel criminal proceedings, Tournant was sentenced to three years of probation, 18 months of home incarceration, a $250,000 fine, and forfeiture of $17,577,908. Taylor was sentenced to three years of probation, a $4,000 fine, and forfeiture of $13,460,708. Bond-Nelson was sentenced to three years of probation, three months of home confinement, a $4,000 fine, and forfeiture of $1,610,465. The SEC investigation was conducted by Jonathan C. Shapiro and supervised by Reid A. Muoio and Eric Werner. Litigation was led by John Bowers under the supervision of Melissa J. Armstrong. The SEC appreciated the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Named in this action: Gregoire P. Tournant, Trevor L. Taylor, Stephen G. Bond-Nelson.