At this point, Forbes might want to consider renaming their prestigious 30 Under 30 list to something more fitting. Maybe “30 Under 30: Fraud Edition” has a nice ring to it? The list has become such a reliable predictor of future federal charges that you could probably build a betting market around it.
The latest addition to this hall of shame is Gökçe Güven, a 26-year-old Turkish entrepreneur who founded fintech startup Kalder. She’s now facing charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud, and aggravated identity theft. That’s quite the resume builder.
The Pitch Deck From Hell
Güven allegedly raised $7 million during Kalder’s seed round in April 2024, and according to federal prosecutors, she did it with a pitch deck that was basically a work of fiction. The numbers looked great on paper. The company claimed 26 brands were actively using their platform, with another 53 on a “live freemium” plan. Kalder also boasted $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue by March 2024.
Here’s the problem. Most of those brands were either on heavily discounted pilot programs or had no relationship with Kalder whatsoever. Some companies probably learned they were “clients” when the DOJ came knocking.
The alleged fraud goes deeper than inflated client lists. Prosecutors claim Güven maintained two separate sets of financial books. One showed the real numbers, the disappointing ones that most early-stage technology startups deal with. The other set had the fantasy numbers that made investors want to write checks.
The Pattern Continues
Sam Bankman-Fried is serving 25 years. Charlie Javice from Frank sold her startup to JPMorgan for $175 million based on fabricated user data. Martin Shkreli became the most hated man in America before his securities fraud conviction. Joanna Smith-Griffin from AllHere Education was charged last year.
And now Güven joins this illustrious group. The Forbes 30 Under 30 curse strikes again.
What’s particularly brazen about this case is the visa fraud allegation. The DOJ claims Güven used forged documents and lies about Kalder to obtain an O-1 visa, which is reserved for individuals with “extraordinary ability.” Getting into the country on false pretenses to run a potentially fraudulent business operation shows a level of commitment to the bit that’s almost impressive.
When Everyone Looks Successful
The tech industry has a massive problem with faking it until you make it. Somewhere along the way, entrepreneurs got the message that exaggerating growth metrics and customer numbers is just part of the game. It’s not aggressive marketing, it’s securities fraud.
Kalder claimed to work with Godiva chocolates and the International Air Transport Association. Those are massive, legitimate organizations. Name-dropping clients like that opens doors and loosens purse strings. But if those partnerships were heavily discounted pilots or nonexistent altogether, that’s not strategic positioning. That’s lying.
The venture capital ecosystem enables this behavior. When you’re raising millions based on PowerPoint slides and promises, the temptation to stretch the truth becomes overwhelming. Add in the pressure to justify a Forbes 30 Under 30 feature, and suddenly those pilot programs become “clients” and those email inquiries become “partnerships.”
Güven is scheduled to share a statement on Tuesday, which should be interesting. What do you even say at this point? The federal government has laid out a detailed case involving multiple types of fraud, fake financial records, and immigration violations.
The real question is when Forbes will acknowledge that their vetting process for the 30 Under 30 list might need some work, because at this rate, making the list seems less like an honor and more like a red flag for future investigators.
