Khan has months. Reyna has months. This one has a plea.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, announced by Jamie McDonald and FBI New York’s James C. Barnacle Jr.: Ilit Raz, founder and former CEO of Joonko Diversity, pleaded guilty to securities fraud. The case is before U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein. Sentencing is later. The count carries a maximum of 20 years. That is a ceiling, not a date on a calendar.
Prosecutors: Joonko sold an AI hiring product. To raise about $27 million in 2021–2022, Raz lied about how many customers it had and who they were — a credit-card company, a sports-apparel brand, an online travel firm, a luxury fashion house that were never customers. June 1, 2021: about $10 million Series A. June 2, 2022: about $17 million Series B.
April 3, 2023: she emailed Investor-1 a bank statement showing an average balance over $5 million. Prosecutors: forged; the real balance was millions lower. April 8: purchase orders she knew were fictitious, with forged signatures. The company is in bankruptcy. McDonald: victim investors face millions in losses.
This is a guilty plea. It is not Khan. It is not Shukla’s 60 months. It is not 20 years until a judge says so.
What this means for you
If you needed a sentence, that was Brooklyn and Paramount. If you needed a plea without months, this is the unused file. If the week is too heavy, 988.
Bottom line: Plea in. $27 million raised. $10 million and $17 million. Not a sentence.
GLHR NEWS explains the news. Not investment, tax, or trading advice. Do your own work before you act.
