Charlie Javice, the convicted founder of financial aid startup Frank, is reportedly seeking a presidential pardon while appealing her conviction for defrauding JPMorgan Chase in a $175 million acquisition.
People working on Javice’s behalf have quietly contacted individuals close to President Donald Trump’s administration, according to The Wall Street Journal. Her name has not appeared on a formal clemency request list maintained by the Justice Department.
Javice Is Serving An 85-Month Sentence
A federal jury convicted Javice in March 2025 of securities fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy. Prosecutors said she inflated Frank’s customer numbers before selling the student financial aid platform to JPMorgan in 2021.
The bank believed Frank had more than four million users, but prosecutors said Javice hired a data scientist to create false customer information supporting that claim. A federal judge sentenced her to 85 months in prison in September 2025.
The Justice Department’s sentencing announcement said Javice was also ordered to pay more than $300 million. She is appealing and argues that the case against her was unfair.
White-Collar Defendants Seek Clemency
The reported effort comes as the Trump administration considers granting up to 250 pardons to coincide with the United States’ 250th anniversary. The possibility has led to an increase in applications from people convicted of white-collar crimes.
Former FTX chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried has submitted a formal pardon request. He is serving a 25-year sentence following his conviction for fraud and conspiracy related to the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange.
TechCrunch reported that Javice’s efforts remain informal, based on the Wall Street Journal account. There is no confirmation that the White House is considering her case.
JPMorgan Has Its Own Dispute With Trump
Javice’s pardon effort also comes as Trump is pursuing a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan and chief executive Jamie Dimon. Trump claims the bank closed accounts connected to him and his businesses for political reasons after the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
JPMorgan denies that politics influenced its decisions and says account closures are based on legal, regulatory and risk considerations. The bank has argued that the lawsuit lacks merit.
Javice also has connections to influential financial executives. Apollo Global Management chief executive Marc Rowan, an early investor in Frank, testified on her behalf and requested leniency during her criminal case.
Rowan has donated to Trump’s campaigns and Republican congressional groups. The Wall Street Journal reported that Javice’s supporters have been approaching people connected to the administration, though no formal pardon application has been confirmed.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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