NEW YORK — Charlie Javice, founder of the financial aid startup Frank, was sentenced on Monday to more than seven years in prison for cheating JPMorgan Chase out of $175 million. In a Manhattan federal court, Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein delivered the sentence following Javice's conviction for orchestrating a significant fraud by exaggerating her company's reach.
Javice, 33, was found to have falsified records, claiming Frank had over 4 million clients when the actual number was under 300,000. Hellerstein characterized her actions as a large fraud, stating that Javice had fashioned a powerful narrative of her philanthropic endeavors, which included volunteer work from a young age.
Her defense attorney, Ronald Sullivan, insisted that Javice's tech company was fundamentally different from Theranos, founded by Elizabeth Holmes, asserting that Frank's services actually benefited students.
In court, prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of her crimes, noting Javice expressed disbelief over Holmes's 11-year sentence, prompting them to pursue a similar lengthy sentence for her. Despite arguments that she was up against significant competition from JPMorgan's extensive resources, Hellerstein maintained that he needed to penalize her fraudulent conduct.
On her part, Javice sought forgiveness from those affected by her actions, expressing regret for her choices. She had founded Frank to simplify the FAFSA application process, but now faces considerable repercussions for misleading investors.
Javice's trial, which included charges of conspiracy and bank fraud, reflects larger concerns about the integrity of startup executives as fraud cases among them appear to be on the rise, leading to calls for stricter penalties in the tech space.
