Charlie Javice, the convicted Frank founder, is reportedly seeking a presidential pardon, with her camp quietly courting people close to the Trump administration, according to the WSJ. So far, her name hasn’t turned up on a formal clemency request list at the Justice Department, it adds.
That list is growing fast. As the administration reportedly weighs handing out roughly 250 pardons this summer to mark America’s 250th birthday, a wave of clemency requests is pouring in from white-collar defendants — including Sam Bankman-Fried.
JPMorgan can’t be pleased by any of this. Last September, Javice was found guilty of fabricating millions of customer accounts to inflate her startup’s value before selling it to the bank for $175 million. She’s now serving more than seven years and is appealing, arguing the case against her was unfair.
The bank may have extra cause for concern given its relationship with President Trump. In early 2021, it closed accounts tied to Trump and his businesses shortly after the January 6 Capitol riot, a move that Trump has since called political “debanking,” suing JPMorgan and CEO Jamie Dimon for $5 billion. (JPMorgan denies any political motive.)
Javice has powerful friends, too, including Apollo’s Marc Rowan, an early Frank investor who testified on her behalf at trial. Rowan has donated to Trump’s campaigns and, since his reelection, has given millions more to Republican congressional groups.