Business
Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop collapse into administration
High street chains Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) are being put into administration, putting about 2,500 UK staff at risk of redundancy.
The two retailers had already undergone restructuring and were bought by investment firm Modella Capital last year.
Modella said it had made the “tough decision” to kickstart insolvency proceedings for the businesses after “last-ditch” measures had fallen through.
The 1,355 employees in the UK and Ireland at 154 Claire’s shops will be put at risk, and 1,220 staff across 140 TOFS stores.
Court records show that a notice of intention to appoint an administrator was filed in relation to both chains on Monday afternoon.
“We have worked intensively in an effort to save both businesses, having made last-ditch attempts to rescue them, but neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again,” a spokesperson for the company said.
“In these circumstances, administration is the only option.
“In both cases, the legacy effects of trading prior to our ownership left them highly vulnerable.”
Modella said tough retail conditions, including those from government policies, were causing British businesses to “suffer”.
“The climate on the high street remains extremely challenging, and TOFS and Claire’s are not alone in experiencing difficulties,” the firm said.
“A combination of very weak consumer confidence, highly adverse government fiscal policies, and continued cost inflation, is causing many established and much-loved businesses to suffer badly.
“It’s a simple fact that if retailers can’t make money, they risk having to close, and jobs across the country are lost.”
Modella bought more than 150 Claire’s shops last year, but 145 were not included in the deal, leading to their closure.
The fashion accessories chain had appointed administrators for its UK and Ireland business after filing for bankruptcy in the US.
TOFS, a discount department store chain, was sold to the investment firm in February.
Modella has become a significant force in the British retail industry, having bought WH Smith’s high street chain last year and taking over arts and crafts retailer Hobbycraft in 2024.
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A Forbes ’30 Under 30′ entrepreneur sold a startup on the promise of millions of users, until investigators said much of the data was fake, triggering a major fraud scandal
The bank launched an internal probe, which concluded that the user database supplied during the acquisition process had been largely fabricated.
In 2021, amid the gleaming towers of the global financial capital, a blockbuster business deal was quietly taking shape. On one side was 28-year-old entrepreneur Charlie Javice, founder of a college-aid startup named Frank. On the other was JPMorgan Chase, the world’s largest bank, eager to tap into a new generation of young customers.
The bank believed it had discovered a rising star. Javice claimed her platform was simplifying the complex process of applying for US federal student aid and had already attracted more than 42 lakh users. Convinced by the numbers and the promise of instant access to millions of potential future customers, JPMorgan agreed to acquire Frank for $175 million (roughly Rs 1,400 crore).
Javice’s credentials only strengthened the bank’s confidence. Raised in an affluent New York neighbourhood and educated at the prestigious Wharton School, she was widely profiled as a visionary young founder. She had already been featured on Forbes’ “30 Under 30″ list, celebrated as a champion of students struggling with tuition costs.
But beneath the glossy image, Frank was reportedly not performing at the level Javice projected. According to later investigations, the user base she claimed simply did not exist.
When JPMorgan sought verification of the 42 lakh users, Javice allegedly turned to a data science professor and commissioned a synthetic database containing millions of fabricated names, email addresses and birth dates. Investigators say this falsified data was then presented to the bank as genuine.
The acquisition went through, and Javice received a senior role and significant financial benefits as part of the deal. However, doubts surfaced soon after. When JPMorgan’s marketing team emailed what they believed were Frank’s millions of users, only about 1% of recipients engaged. A vast majority of the messages reportedly bounced back, indicating that the accounts were non-existent.
The bank launched an internal probe, which concluded that the user database supplied during the acquisition process had been largely fabricated. JPMorgan subsequently terminated Javice’s employment and filed a lawsuit, accusing her of fraud and misleading the bank.
Javice denied wrongdoing and countersued, alleging the bank was attempting to avoid contractual payments. The dispute quickly escalated into a global headline-maker, casting a harsh spotlight on the pressures and ethical lapses within the startup ecosystem.
The case has fuelled debate around the “fake it till you make it” culture that often rewards hype over fundamentals. Prosecutors allege that in the pursuit of rapid success and investor confidence, basic trust between companies, investors and the public was compromised.
Javice now faces multiple fraud-related charges in US courts. If convicted, she could face significant prison time.
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January 07, 2026, 19:32 IST
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Unlisted shares of Victory Electric Vehicles International are trading at Rs 41 apiece in the grey market, which is zero premium over IPO price of Rs 41, indicating weak listing.
Victory Electric Vehicles IPO.
Victory Electric Vehicles IPO GMP: The initial public offering (IPO) of Victory Electric Vehicles International Ltd opened for public subscription today, Wednesday, January 7. The price band of the Rs 34.56-crore IPO has been fixed at Rs 41. Till 5:20 pm on the first day of bidding on Wednesday, the IPO received a total of 0.28x times subscription, garnering bids for 22,35,000 shares as against 80,07,000 shares on offer.
Its retail category got a 0.38x subscription, while its non-institutional investor (NII) quota got a 0.18x subscription.
Victory Electric Vehicles International Limited, incorporated in October 2018, designs, manufactures, and distributes electric vehicles. The company provides sustainable and eco-friendly mobility solutions by offering a wide range of electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and commercial vehicles.
Victory Electric Vehicles IPO GMP Today
According to market observers, unlisted shares of Victory Electric Vehicles International Ltd are currently trading at Rs 41 apiece in the grey market, which is a zero premium over the IPO price of Rs 41. It indicates a flat or negative listing. Its listing will take place on January 14, Wednesday.
The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. ‘Grey market premium’ indicates investors’ readiness to pay more than the issue price.
Victory Electric Vehicles IPO: More Details
Victory Electric Vehicles has entered the primary market with a fixed-price IPO of Rs 34.56 crore, consisting entirely of a fresh issue of 0.84 crore equity shares.
The public issue opened for subscription on January 7, 2026, and will close on January 9, 2026. The basis of allotment is expected to be finalised on January 12, 2026, while the company’s shares are proposed to be listed on the NSE SME platform, with a tentative listing date of January 14, 2026.
The IPO has been priced at ₹41 per share. Investors can apply in lots of 3,000 shares each. At this price, retail investors are required to invest a minimum of Rs 2.46 lakh for two lots, or 6,000 shares, while high net-worth investors need to apply for at least three lots, or 9,000 shares, involving an investment of Rs 3.69 lakh.
Corpwis Advisors Pvt Ltd is acting as the book-running lead manager for the issue, while Maashitla Securities Pvt Ltd has been appointed as the registrar. Alacrity Securities Ltd will serve as the market maker for the IPO.
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January 07, 2026, 15:13 IST
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Two former finance directors of collapsed firm Carillion have been fined by the City watchdog after acting “recklessly” and playing a part in misleading statements issued by the outsourcing giant before its high-profile demise eight years ago.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said Richard Adam and Zafar Khan were “both aware of serious financial troubles in Carillion’s UK construction business but failed to reflect this in company announcements or alert the board and audit committee”.
The regulator said it had fined Mr Adam and Mr Khan £232,800 and £138,900 respectively, after the pair withdrew their challenges to the FCA’s findings.
It comes six years since the outsourcing giant, which employed 12,000 people, collapsed in January 2018 with massive debts.
Before its failure, Carillion had been one of the UK’s biggest construction and facilities management companies, with several major government contracts.
The FCA said it found the ex-finance directors at Carillion “acted recklessly and were knowingly concerned in breaches by Carillion of the Market Abuse Regulation and the Listing Rules”.
Mr Adam was Carillion’s group finance director from April 2007 to the end of 2016 and was succeeded by Mr Khan, who acted in the role from January 2017 until September of that year.
The FCA said the pair had responsibility for Carillion’s procedures, systems and controls relating to financial reporting.
“These were not sufficient to ensure that contract accounting judgments made in its UK construction business were made, recorded and reported appropriately,” it added.
Steve Smart, joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, said: “Those in positions of responsibility have a duty to keep the market accurately and adequately informed.
“With Carillion, we have seen the serious impact it can have when they don’t.
“The action taken against Mr Adam and Mr Khan demonstrates our commitment to preventing market abuse and upholding the standards we expect.”
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