Ian W. Sloss

Allianz Global Investors U.S. Structured Alpha Litigation. Ian represented hedge fund and mutual fund investors in Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC's Structured Alpha suite of investment funds who were victimized by AllianzGI's "egregious, long-running and extensive fraud that went undetected for years." In March 2020, following the onset of market dislocations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, AllianzGI's Structured Alpha funds lost in excess of $7 billion in market value, including over $3.2 billion in principal, faced margin calls and redemption requests, and ultimately were shut down. More than 100 institutional investors, representing more than 100,000 individuals, were victims of this scheme. These institutional investors included, among others, pension funds for municipal employees and healthcare workers in Connecticut, teachers in Arkansas, laborers in Alaska, bus drivers and subway conductors in New York City, as well as religious organizations, engineers, and other individuals, universities and charitable organizations across the United States.

• AllianzGI Structured Alpha Mutual Fund Class Action Litigation. Ian led SGT's efforts which resulted in a $145 million settlement on behalf of AllianzGI mutual fund investors with Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC. The mutual fund investors had alleged, inter alia, violations of Section 11 of the of the Securities Act, 15 U.S.C. § 77k, Section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act, 15 U.S.C. § 77l(a)(2), and Section 15 of the Securities Act, 15 U.S.C. § 77o, as a result of a massive multi-billion-dollar fraud committed by AllianzGI's Structured Products Group. On March 9, 2023, the Hon. Andrew Borrok of the New York State Supreme Court, New York County Commercial Division granted final approval of a $145 million settlement. The case was Jackson v. Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC, Index No. 651233/2021, New York State Supreme Court, New York County Commercial Division.
• AllianzGI Structured Alpha Private Fund Class Action Litigation. Ian represented private hedge fund investors against AllianzGI alleging, inter alia, violations of the Employee Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1001 et seq., breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty. Following a ruling by Judge Failla denying in substantial part AllianzGI's motion to dismiss, SGT’s clients entered into individual settlement agreements with AllianzGI on confidential terms. The cases were Town of Fairfield et al. v. Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC, No. 1:20-cv-05817 (S.D.N.Y.) (J. Failla), and In re AllianzGI Structured Alpha Class Action Litigation, No. 20-cv-07154 (S.D.N.Y.) (J. Failla).

Digital Currency Group Securities Fraud Litigation (McGreevy v. DCG et al), No. 23-cv-00082-SRU (D. Conn.)(J. Underhill). Ian and SGT are serving as court-appointed co-lead counsel on behalf of a putative class alleging losses suffered on securities investments arising out of Digital Currency Group (DCG), DCG founder and owner Barry Silbert, and its officers and directors causing DCG to engage in sham financial transactions designed to fraudulently conceal the insolvency of subsidiary Genesis Global Capital (Genesis). Specifically, the plaintiffs allege that the defendants engaged in these transactions to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars of personal money out of insolvent digital asset lender Genesis Global Capital (Genesis) before financial market conditions forced Genesis Global Capital into bankruptcy at plaintiffs' expense. Several law enforcement agencies have initiated litigation and investigations into DCG following SGT's clients' filings, including the DOJ, SEC, and New York Attorney General. The case is pending in the District of Connecticut, where DCG is headquartered, before Judge Stefan J. Underhill.

Borozny et al. v. Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Division, et al. No. 3:21-cv-01657 (D. Conn.) (J. Nagala). Ian represents one of the lead plaintiffs in an antitrust class action against Pratt & Whitney (a division of Raytheon Technologies Corp.) and several aerospace engineer staffing companies alleging a conspiracy to artificially suppress wages via “no-poach” agreements in violation of the United States antitrust laws. In two separate rulings on January 20, 2023, Hon. Sarala Nagala denied Defendants motions to dismiss in their entirety and declined to send claims brought against Defendants Pratty & Whitney, Agilis Engineering, Inc., Belcan Engineering Group, LLC, Cyient, Inc., and Parametric Solutions, Inc. to arbitration.

Westminster, Massachusetts PFAS Contamination Litigation. Ian is currently serving as court-appointed interim lead class counsel for a putative class of over 300 Westminster, Massachusetts residents in Ryan et al. v. Greif, Inc. et al.,No. 4:22-cv-40089 (D. Mass) (J. Gorton) whose private water wells and topsoil have allegedly been contaminated with with PFAS or “forever” chemicals as a result of the composting and waste disposal activities of a composting facility and several paper mills located in and around the Westminster area. 

In re: Data Security Cases Against NELNET SERVICING, LLC, No. 4:22-cv-03191-JMG-CRZ (D. Neb.). Ian has been appointed as co-lead counsel for a putative class of 2.5 million student loan borrowers whose sensitive personal information was obtained by unauthorized third parties from Nelnet Servicing, LLC, a student loan servicer and web portal payment provider.

In re: Philips Recalled CPAP, Bi-Level PAP, and Mechanical Ventilator Products Liability Litigation, No. 21-cv-01230 (W.D. Pa.). In June 2021 Ian and SGT filed the first case in the United States against Philips North America LLC, Philips Respironics North America LLC, and Royal Philips arising out of Philips’ recall of CPAP, BiPAP, and mechanical ventilator devices due to the presence of a dangerous PE-PUR Foam that could cause users to suffer adverse health effects. In recognition of Ian's early efforts advancing the litigation, United States District Judge Joy Conti appointed Ian to serve in a leadership committee role, where he helped achieve settlements totaling $1.6 billion on behalf of an economic damages class, a medical monitoring class, and personal injury plaintiffs.

Bond Rigging and LIBOR Manipulation Litigation. Before joining SGT, Ian litigated on behalf of debt and derivatives investors alleging the manipulation of bonds and interest rate derivatives via illegal price-fixing agreements in violation of the United States antitrust laws. See, e.g. In re: European Government Bonds Antitrust Litigation, No. 19-cv-02601 (S.D.N.Y); Laydon v. Mizuho Bank, Ltd., No. 12-cv-03419 (S.D.N.Y) (manipulation of Yen-LIBOR-denominated financial instruments via illegal price-fixing agreement), Sullivan v. Barclays PLC, No. 13-cv-02811 (S.D.N.Y.) (manipulation of EURIBOR-denominated financial instruments), In re: London Silver Fixing Ltd. Antitrust Litigation, No. 14-md-02573 (S.D.N.Y.) (manipulation of the London Silver Fix), and Sonterra Capital Master Fund Ltd. v. Credit Suisse Group AG, No. 15-cv-871 (S.D.N.Y) (manipulation of Swiss franc-LIBOR-denominated financial instruments). Collectively these actions resulted in more than $820 million in settlements for investors.