Dave Smith is a writer and editor who previously has been published in Business Insider, Newsweek, ABC News, and USA TODAY. Charlie Javice, the 33-year-old entrepreneur who once promised to revolutionize college financial-aid applications, tearfully apologized to JPMorgan Chase, its shareholders, her friends and family, and former employees of her startup, Frank, as she was sentenced to just over seven years in prison on Monday for orchestrating a $175 million fraud. “Not a day passes that I do not feel profound remorse,” Javice said through tears before U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan federal court. Standing to address the court, she said she was “haunted that my failure has transformed something meaningful into something infamous” and admitted to making “a choice that I will spend my entire life regretting.” The sentencing marks a dramatic fall from grace for Javice, who once graced the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in 2019 and was celebrated as a rising star in financial technology. Her startup Frank, founded in 2017, was designed to simplify the complex process of filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for college students seeking financial assistance.
Published: October 1, 2025 6:03 pm
Source: Fortune — Read original