30.01.2026 20:10
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has filed an indictment containing multiple federal charges against Gökçe Güven, the founder and CEO of the fintech company Kalder. Güven is accused of raising approximately $7 million by misleading investors. The charges against Güven include securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has filed an indictment containing multiple federal charges against Gökçe Güven, the founder and CEO of the fintech company Kalder, a Turkish businessman. According to the prosecution's statement, Güven is accused of misleading investors to raise approximately $7 million in funds.
ALLEGATION OF COLLECTING INVESTMENTS WITH MISLEADING INFORMATION
The indictment alleges that Gökçe Güven provided false and exaggerated information to investors regarding Kalder's revenues, customer numbers, and brand partnerships. According to the prosecution's claim, it was asserted that there were 26 brands actively using Kalder in promotional materials and that 53 brands participated in free trials; however, it was noted that the documented reality was far from this.
DOUBLE BOOKKEEPING AND FAKE DOCUMENTS
The prosecution claims that Güven used two separate financial record systems. One contained the company's actual financial status, while the other included inflated data presented to investors. It was recorded that this system influenced investors' decisions and led to the collection of investments.
ALLEGATION OF FRAUD IN O-1A VISA APPLICATION
It is alleged that Güven used false or misleading information in his application for the "extraordinary ability" (O-1A) visa, which provides the right to work and live in the U.S. after his student visa expired. The indictment claims that some reference letters included in this context were made to appear as if they were signed by certain executives, but were actually prepared digitally by Güven.
CHARGES AND POSSIBLE PENALTIES
The prosecution has prepared an indictment against Gökçe Güven with the following charges:
Securities fraud
Fraud by electronic communication
Visa fraud
Aggravated identity theft
Each of these crimes carries separate criminal penalties, and theoretically, dozens of years of imprisonment could be anticipated in total.
ENTREPRENEURIAL BACKGROUND
Before founding the fintech venture Kalder, Gökçe Güven held product design and development roles at various technology companies. Kalder had previously raised millions of dollars in funding through successful investment rounds and received support from some international investors.
LAWSUIT CONTINUES
The prepared indictment contains charges, but there is no definitive ruling yet established by a court decision. The process is ongoing in U.S. federal courts.