Author: Lucas Ropek
Compiled by: Deep Tide TechFLow
Deep Tide Introduction: The Forbes 30 Under 30 list has added another "black mark" to its history. Gökçe Güven, a 26-year-old Turkish founder and CEO of the 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 during a $7 million seed funding round in April 2024, she provided investors with a business plan filled with false information—claiming that 26 brands were using Kalder, when in fact many companies had no agreement with Kalder whatsoever.
This is not the first time the list has "derailed"; notable figures like SBF and Charlie Javice have also previously been on the list.
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Today, the Forbes 30 Under 30 list has become notorious for the number of its honorees who have later been accused of fraud. Prominent "alumni" include FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Frank CEO Charlie Javice, AI startup AllHere Education founder Joanna Smith-Griffin, and "pharma villain" Martin Shkreli. Now, another member of the list has been indicted by the federal government.
Gökçe Güven, a 26-year-old Turkish entrepreneur and founder and CEO of the fintech startup Kalder, was charged last week with securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The New York-based fintech startup, which uses the slogan "Turn your rewards into a revenue engine," claimed to help businesses create and monetize personalized reward programs. Founded in 2022, the company offered participating enterprises the opportunity to earn a continuous revenue stream through partner affiliate sales, as previously reported by Axios.
Güven was featured on last year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list. The magazine's profile noted that Güven's clients included major chocolate manufacturer Godiva and the International Air Transport Association (IATA)—a trade organization representing most of the world's airlines. Kalder also claimed support from several well-known venture capital firms.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that during Kalder's seed funding round in April 2024, Güven successfully raised $7 million from more than a dozen investors by presenting a business plan filled with false information.
According to the authorities, Kalder's business plan claimed that 26 brands were "using Kalder," with an additional 53 brands in a "freemium model." However, officials stated that in many cases, Kalder had only offered these companies heavily discounted pilot programs. Other brands had "no agreement with Kalder at all—not even for free services," officials said in a press release announcing the indictment. The business plan also "falsely reported that Kalder's recurring revenue had steadily increased month-over-month since February 2023, and that by March 2024, Kalder had reached $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue."
The government also accused Güven of maintaining two separate sets of financial books. One set contained "false and inflated numbers" presented to investors or potential investors to conceal "the company's true financial condition," the government claimed. The Justice Department also alleged that Güven used lies about Kalder and forged documents to obtain a visa category reserved for individuals of "extraordinary ability," allowing her to live and work in the United States.
TechCrunch contacted Güven through her personal website. The CEO stated that she would issue a statement regarding the charges on Tuesday.
