$175-Million Scam: How This 28-Year-Old Woman Fooled The World's Biggest Bank

Last Updated:January 07, 2026, 19:32 IST

A Forbes '30 Under 30' entrepreneur sold a startup on the promise of millions of users, until investigators said much of the data was fake, triggering a major fraud scandal

The bank launched an internal probe, which concluded that the user database supplied during the acquisition process had been largely fabricated.

In 2021, amid the gleaming towers of the global financial capital, a blockbuster business deal was quietly taking shape. On one side was 28-year-old entrepreneur Charlie Javice, founder of a college-aid startup named Frank. On the other was JPMorgan Chase, the world’s largest bank, eager to tap into a new generation of young customers.

The bank believed it had discovered a rising star. Javice claimed her platform was simplifying the complex process of applying for US federal student aid and had already attracted more than 42 lakh users. Convinced by the numbers and the promise of instant access to millions of potential future customers, JPMorgan agreed to acquire Frank for $175 million (roughly Rs 1,400 crore).

Javice’s credentials only strengthened the bank’s confidence. Raised in an affluent New York neighbourhood and educated at the prestigious Wharton School, she was widely profiled as a visionary young founder. She had already been featured on Forbes’ “30 Under 30" list, celebrated as a champion of students struggling with tuition costs.

But beneath the glossy image, Frank was reportedly not performing at the level Javice projected. According to later investigations, the user base she claimed simply did not exist.

When JPMorgan sought verification of the 42 lakh users, Javice allegedly turned to a data science professor and commissioned a synthetic database containing millions of fabricated names, email addresses and birth dates. Investigators say this falsified data was then presented to the bank as genuine.

The acquisition went through, and Javice received a senior role and significant financial benefits as part of the deal. However, doubts surfaced soon after. When JPMorgan’s marketing team emailed what they believed were Frank’s millions of users, only about 1% of recipients engaged. A vast majority of the messages reportedly bounced back, indicating that the accounts were non-existent.

The bank launched an internal probe, which concluded that the user database supplied during the acquisition process had been largely fabricated. JPMorgan subsequently terminated Javice’s employment and filed a lawsuit, accusing her of fraud and misleading the bank.

Javice denied wrongdoing and countersued, alleging the bank was attempting to avoid contractual payments. The dispute quickly escalated into a global headline-maker, casting a harsh spotlight on the pressures and ethical lapses within the startup ecosystem.

The case has fuelled debate around the “fake it till you make it" culture that often rewards hype over fundamentals. Prosecutors allege that in the pursuit of rapid success and investor confidence, basic trust between companies, investors and the public was compromised.

Javice now faces multiple fraud-related charges in US courts. If convicted, she could face significant prison time.

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