Several individuals once celebrated on Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 lists have since been convicted of criminal offenses. Four of these former honorees have been sentenced to prison.
Sam Bankman-Fried, listed in the finance category in 2021, founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. The Department of Justice found him guilty on multiple fraud counts after a month-long trial, describing the scheme as one of the largest financial frauds in history. Prosecutors stated he misappropriated over $8 billion in customer funds for personal use, investments, and political contributions. In September 2024, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay $11 billion in forfeiture.
Charlie Javice, a 2019 finance category honoree, founded the student aid startup Frank. The DOJ stated she fabricated data to claim the company had 4.25 million users when it actually had about 300,000, leading JPMorgan Chase to purchase Frank for $175 million. She and an associate were convicted in September 2025. Javice received an 85-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay over $300 million.
Martin Shkreli, on the 2013 list, was convicted in 2017 on securities fraud charges related to his hedge funds and his role at Retrophin. A U.S. attorney called his actions a "Ponzi scheme." He was sentenced to 7 years in prison in 2018 and ordered to pay fines and forfeiture. He was released early in May 2022.
Nate Paul, recognized in 2016, faced wire fraud charges related to loan applications. He pleaded guilty to one count in 2025, with other charges dropped. He was ordered to pay a $1 million fine but received no prison time.
Obinwanne Okeke was part of Forbes Africa's 2016 list. The DOJ accused him of conspiring to steal nearly $11 million through email phishing and fraudulent wire transfers. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2021. A Nigerian newspaper report stated he was released in December 2025.
Forbes has acknowledged these cases by placing some individuals in a separate "Hall of Shame." Two of the convicted individuals held degrees from MIT and the Wharton School.