The Forbes 30 Under 30 list has been associated with a number of fraud cases in recent years, leading to it being referred to as the "Forbes-to-Fraud" pipeline. Other notable figures who have been indicted on fraud charges include FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Alameda Research co-CEO Caroline Ellison, fintech Frank founder Charlie Javice, and Martin Shkreli, also known as "Pharma bro".
Key takeaways:
- The FBI unsealed an indictment against Joanna Smith-Griffin, founder of AI startup AllHere Education, accusing her of securities fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
- Smith-Griffin allegedly defrauded investors out of nearly $10 million by misrepresenting her company's revenue, customer base, and cash from November 2020 to June 2024.
- AllHere Education is currently in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and Smith-Griffin could face up to 20 years in prison for each count of securities and wire fraud, and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft.
- The Forbes 30 Under 30 list has seen several honorees, including FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, Alameda Research co-CEO Caroline Ellison, fintech Frank founder Charlie Javice, and Martin Shkreli, indicted on fraud charges.