JPMorgan Chase must keep paying the legal fees of convicted fraudster Charlie Javice, a Delaware judge ruled Thursday.
The ruling came after the bank accused Javice, who was convicted last year of defrauding JPMorgan, of accumulating “astronomical” legal fees, including expenses such as $530 for gummy bears and a $581 dinner for two with a $161 seafood tower.
“We respectfully disagree with the Delaware decision about the bounds of reasonableness and are considering next steps,” Pablo Rodriguez, a spokesperson for JPMorgan, said in a statement shared with Business Insider.
Javice was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for using inflated data to trick JPMorgan into paying $175 million for her fintech startup, Frank. She and co-defendant Olivier Amar, who was chief growth officer at Frank, were also ordered to pay $288 million in restitution to JPMorgan.
JPMorgan has been ordered to pay Javice’s legal fees while the litigation plays out, under the terms of its contract with Frank.
“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,” Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Javice, said in a statement provided to Business Insider.
“Today’s ruling is a reminder that public narratives don’t override contractual obligations,” he added.
Convicted in March 2025, Javice has been free on $2 million bail while her case goes through appeals. Javice has tried and failed several times to get her ankle bracelet removed.
A New York judge this week denied Javice’s request to have her court-mandated GPS ankle monitor removed in exchange for doubling her bond to $4 million.
The judge said the prospect of over seven years in prison and the large restitution she owes meant her new proposal “does not mitigate the risk of flight,” adding that $4 million “pales in comparison to Javice’s multimillion-dollar restitution and forfeiture obligations.”
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