Delaware Judge Orders JPMorgan to Keep Paying Legal Fees of Convicted Founder

A Delaware judge ruled Thursday that JPMorgan Chase must continue paying the legal fees of Charlie Javice, founder of fintech startup Frank. Javice was convicted in March 2025 of using inflated data to induce JPMorgan to pay $175 million for Frank. She received a seven-year prison sentence, and she and co-defendant Olivier Amar, Frank's former chief growth officer, were ordered to pay $288 million in restitution to the bank.

The ruling requires JPMorgan to keep funding Javice's defense under the terms of its contract with Frank, even though her legal bills have exceeded $70 million. JPMorgan had sought to halt the payments, citing expenses that included a $530 charge for gummy bears and a $581 dinner for two that featured a $161 seafood tower.

"We respectfully disagree with the Delaware decision about the bounds of reasonableness and are considering next steps," JPMorgan spokesperson Pablo Rodriguez said.

Javice's spokesperson Juda Engelmayer said the ruling affirmed contractual obligations over public narratives. "For months, JPMorgan waged a public campaign built around sensational headlines about Charlie's legal expenses, including claims that were inaccurate, misleading, or didn't even involve her," he stated. Javice remains free on $2 million bail while her appeals proceed.

This week a New York judge denied her request to remove a court-mandated GPS ankle monitor even if she increased her bond to $4 million, ruling that the proposal did not reduce flight risk given her prison sentence and restitution obligations.