On 16 October 2012, Pandit unexpectedly resigned as Citigroup CEO. Michael Corbat, previously Citigroup's CEO of Europe, Middle East, and Africa, was named as his replacement. While Pandit and the company maintain that he resigned, Bloomberg News cited anonymous board sources indicating that Pandit was forced out by the board after eroding investor confidence and damaging company relations with regulators over an extended period. The "New York Times" later identified Chairman Michael E. O'Neill as the driving force behind a months-long secret effort to oust Pandit, which culminated in a surprise ultimatum to Pandit stating that he must resign immediately, resign at the end of the year, or be fired. His resignation followed multiple payouts to investors during ongoing fraud allegations.