How a 26-year-old used fake claims to secure US ‘extraordinary’ visa, commit Rs 63,00,00,000 fraud

A Turkish tech executive who founded a New York-based fintech startup has been indicted in the US for allegedly defrauding investors of $7 million and using fabricated claims to obtain a prestigious US visa, a TOI report stated. Federal prosecutors say Gokce Guven, founder and CEO of Kalder, misled venture capitalists about her company’s finances, partnerships and customers, and later reused the same claims to secure an O-1A “extraordinary ability” visa that allowed her to live and work in the country.

Guven, 26, a citizen of Turkey, now faces charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, visa fraud and aggravated identity theft. The case was announced by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York along with the FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service.

Who is Gokce Guven and what is Kalder?

Guven founded Kalder Inc, a New York-based technology startup that she promoted as a “fintech-marketing platform.” The company claimed to help brands create and monetise customised loyalty and rewards programmes.
According to prosecutors, Guven positioned herself as a fast-rising fintech entrepreneur while pitching Kalder to investors during its seed funding round, which began in April 2024.

How investors were allegedly misled

Investigators allege that Guven provided prospective investors with false statements, misleading claims and fabricated documents about Kalder’s business performance. Pitch materials sent to venture capitalists claimed that 26 brands were “using Kalder” and another 53 brands were in “live freemium” mode.

In reality, prosecutors say some brands were only part of short-term pilot programmes, often at heavy discounts, while others had no agreement with Kalder at all. The pitch deck also claimed Kalder’s revenue had grown steadily since February 2023 and had reached $1.2 million in annual recurring revenue by March 2024.
Authorities allege Guven hid the company’s real financial condition by keeping two sets of books—one accurate version prepared by an external accounting firm, and another with inflated numbers shared with investors.As a result, Guven allegedly raised about $7 million from more than a dozen investors.

Gokce Guven reportedly lied to get ‘Extraordinary Ability’ visa

After her student visa expired, Guven allegedly used the same false claims to obtain an O-1A visa, which is reserved for individuals with “extraordinary ability” in fields such as business, science, education or athletics.

Prosecutors say Kalder sponsored her visa application, which repeated the same misrepresentations used in investor pitches. Guven also allegedly submitted letters of support that appeared to be signed by senior business executives but were, in fact, digitally signed by Guven herself without their knowledge or consent.

Guven was ultimately granted the O-1A visa in the fall of 2025.

What US authorities said

“As alleged, Gokce Guven built her seed round on fake revenue, inflated brand partnerships, and fabricated documents, and then used the same lies to secure a visa reserved for extraordinary ability,” TOI quoted US Attorney Jay Clayton as saying. “Beware of fraud masquerading as entrepreneurship. This Office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously pursue market participants who use fraud and deception to victimize investors.”

“Gokce Guven allegedly exaggerated her company’s fiscal condition and partnerships to swindle more than seven million dollars from prospective investors before using these misrepresentations to unlawfully obtain a highly acclaimed visa to the United States,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Guven allegedly curated a façade of her business ingenuity to unlawfully reap financial and personal benefits. The FBI will continue to expose any manipulative tactics employed to advertise misleading investment opportunities at the cost of their related stakeholders.”

“This indictment displays the lengths that individuals will go through to defraud investors and the American public, and how they are ultimately caught to pay for their crimes,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Ketty Larco-Ward. “Investors placed their trust in this emerging fintech founder and CEO, only to be misled and scammed, as alleged. We commend the work and partnership of the FBI and the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force to put end to self-serving executives and their fraudulent schemes.”

What happens next

The charges stem from a superseding indictment filed in New York federal court. If convicted on all counts, Guven could face significant prison time and penalties under US federal law.

The case adds to growing scrutiny around startup fundraising claims and the misuse of elite visa categories meant for genuinely exceptional talent.