Forbes 30 Under 30 in Trouble Again: Fintech CEO Charged with Fraud

Author: Lucas Ropek

Translated by TechFlow

TechFlow Intro: The Forbes 30 Under 30 list has added another “black mark” to its record. Gökçe Güven, a 26-year-old Turkish founder and CEO of fintech startup Kalder, has been charged by the U.S. Department of Justice with securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors allege that in Kalder’s $7 million seed round in April 2024, she provided investors with a business plan riddled with false information—claiming that 26 brands were using Kalder, when in fact many of those companies had no agreements whatsoever with Kalder.

This is not the first time the list has faced such embarrassment; Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) and Charlie Javice are among others previously named to the list.

Full article below:

Today, the Forbes 30 Under 30 list has become notorious for the sheer number of its honorees subsequently charged with fraud. Notable “alumni” include FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Frank CEO Charlie Javice, Joanna Smith-Griffin, founder of AI startup AllHere Education, and pharmaceutical “villain” Martin Shkreli. Now, another member of the list faces federal prosecution.

Gökçe Güven, a 26-year-old Turkish entrepreneur and founder & CEO of New York–based fintech startup Kalder, was charged last week with securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

This New York–headquartered fintech startup uses the tagline “Turn your rewards into an income engine,” claiming it helps businesses create and monetize personalized rewards programs. Founded in 2022, the company offers participating businesses opportunities to generate recurring revenue streams through partner alliances, Axios previously reported.

Güven was named to last year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list. In its profile, the magazine noted that Güven’s clients included major chocolate manufacturer Godiva and the International Air Transport Association (IATA)—a trade organization representing most airlines worldwide. Kalder also claimed backing from several prominent venture capital firms.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that during Kalder’s April 2024 seed round, Güven raised $7 million from more than a dozen investors by presenting them with a business plan rife with falsehoods.

According to the government, Kalder’s business plan claimed that 26 brands were “using Kalder,” while another 53 were in a “freemium model.” Yet officials state that, in many cases, Kalder had merely offered these companies heavily discounted pilot programs. Other brands “had no agreement with Kalder at all—not even for free services,” officials stated in the press release announcing the charges. The business plan also “falsely reported that Kalder’s recurring revenue had grown steadily on a monthly basis since February 2023, reaching $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue by March 2024.”

The government further alleges that Güven maintained two separate sets of financial books. One set contained “false and inflated figures,” presented to investors or prospective investors to conceal “the company’s true financial condition,” according to the government. The Department of Justice also accuses Güven of using lies about Kalder and forged documents to obtain a visa category reserved for individuals of “extraordinary ability,” enabling her to live and work in the United States.

TechCrunch reached out to Güven via her personal website. The CEO stated she would issue a statement regarding these charges on Tuesday.