Media Insider: Fraud-accused TV producer Alex Breingan’s ex-wife hits out, claims he used her for money; Breingan denies charges
Fraud-accused Alex Breingan is now living in Los Angeles, in a house part-owned by his partner, Darci Penn. Photos / Getty Images, supplied
TV producer Alex Breingan – facing 33 fraud charges involving almost $15m of public and private money – has broken his silence to deny Serious Fraud Office charges, but his ex-wife has come out swinging. “You couldn’t pay me to take him back.”
The former wife of fraud-accused Stripe Studios managing director Alex Breingan claims he used her for money, describing his alleged actions as the “definition of a narcissist” in a social media post.
Rachel Hart – a former TV3 news reporter who now has a strong social media presence under her One Handed Baker moniker – told her followers on Monday that she was “rather tired of keeping quiet”.
She went on to outline what she believed was the “definition of a narcissist”, describing how her then husband had left Auckland for Los Angeles in 2024.
His move followed the collapse of several of his Stripe Media (Stripe Studios) companies and the launch of a Serious Fraud Office investigation. More of his companies would be placed into receivership in the following months.
Hart said she discovered only last week – following an NZ Herald investigation into Breingan’s new life in the United States – that he had been living with another woman, Darci Penn, in the upmarket Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas.
Hart claimed in the social media post that Breingan had continued to “use me for money” in 2024, even – she now realised – after meeting Penn.
Breingan, meanwhile, has finally broken his silence, telling the Herald in a brief WhatsApp message on Monday evening that he denied the 33 fraud and forgery charges laid against him by the Serious Fraud Office last week.
“I deny the SFO’s allegations against me. As I understand this matter is before the NZ courts, I don’t intend to comment further or respond to any further inquiries from you. Thank you,” he said.
Do you know more? Email Shayne Currie in confidence – shayne.currie@nzme.co.nz
He did not respond to a further question about his ex-wife’s social media post.
He also has not said whether he will voluntarily return to New Zealand to defend himself.
Rachel Hart’s post
Hart told her social media followers that in September 2024, she had discovered that Breingan’s IMDb page “randomly seems to have merged his TV credits with someone called ‘Darci Penn’”.
IMDb is a movie industry website that also acts as a database for production professionals across the world. The Herald reported in September 2024 that Breingan’s page now appeared to have a new alias – Darci Penn.
Hart said she had called Breingan about the IMDb reference to Penn at the time.
“When specifically asked on the phone a) what’s happened? and b) who this woman is? ... he tells me: ‘It’s a weird, random IMDb glitch/hack’, and that he ‘has never heard of anyone called Darci Penn’,” Hart claimed.
“He then proceeds to complain about what a pain it’ll be if IMDb can’t sort and he has to delete his account and start from scratch, as it’ll take him ages ... SO I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM??!?!!! (I found our texts this morning, so there’s no denying it).
“And then proceeds to use me for money / charging his bills to my credit card for several more months, despite me literally begging him to stop because I can’t even pay for the many other responsibilities he left me with ...”
Hart wrote that it was only last week that she had discovered, via the media, that he had been living with Penn – “yes, the same woman he’s never heard of” – and her four young children “for quite some time”.
“In her 5-bed house with pool, despite her claiming voluntary bankruptcy no less,” she wrote.
“F*** me!!”
Accompanying the Facebook post was a meme with the quote: “A narcissist doesn’t change. They just blame everything on everyone else and move on to someone unaware of their manipulation.”
Hart did not respond to a Herald message or call on Monday.
In response to one follower’s message of support, Hart wrote: “Don’t worry, you couldn’t pay me to take him back. She’s very welcome to him!”
Serious Fraud Office charges
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.
The SFO alleges he made false representations and used forged documents.
The charges follow a two-year investigation by the agency and work by receivers BDO, which uncovered debts of more than $20m as well as “irregularities” in the accounts of the failed Stripe companies.
There are now questions over whether Breingan will return to New Zealand voluntarily to appear in court, or face extradition with help from Interpol. No date has been set for his first appearance.
The Herald has been investigating Breingan and Stripe Studios for more than two years.
He previously lived in a home in Whangaparāoa, north of Auckland, with Hart and their two children.
The couple’s former home featured prominently on a Stripe-produced show, called the 100 Day Renovation, which screened on Sky Open (formerly Prime) in 2019.
The marriage is now over, and the home, which was no longer listed under Breingan’s name, was sold in September last year for $2.05 million.
On Facebook on Wednesday – the same day that the SFO announced charges against her former husband – Hart wrote: “New Year, new house, new start, new bookcase (!)
“Just to be very clear, I officially – and legally left this club a long time ago.”
Accompanying her post was a photo of a selection of books in a bookcase, with titles On Top of Everything, I’ve Got Your Number, The Hideaway, The Spanish Love Deception and ... The Marriage Club.
Breingan and Penn
It is understood that Darci Penn and Alex Breingan became a couple in Los Angeles by mid- to late-2024.
They now live together in a Calabasas home that has been extensively renovated over the past decade, before Breingan arrived on the scene. It is considered one of the best and most immaculate houses on the street, with a likely value of between US$1.6m-US$2m ($2.6m-$3.3m)
Penn has four young children from her marriage to her now former husband, Andrew Penn.
The Herald has been told Breingan and Penn seem to live a “carefree” lifestyle, with the use of childcare and occasional getaways.
A local martial arts club has video footage of the pair watching and filming an end-of-year awards ceremony.
Breingan is still believed to be working in the production industry – he has set up a production company called 2nd Hour Films.
The IMDb site lists Alex James as the founder of 2nd Hour Films. James is Breingan’s middle name.
On its website, 2nd Hour Films describes itself as a Los Angeles-based production company “developing bold, original film and television projects with global appeal”.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor and has a small shareholding in NZME.