Joe Sanberg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Sanberg
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Sanberg speaking at the 2019 California Democratic Party State Convention
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| Born | July 12, 1979 Southern California, U.S.
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| Education | Harvard University (AB) |
| Political party | Democratic |
Joseph N. Sanberg (born July 12, 1979) is an American entrepreneur. He helped start Aspiration, Inc., an online company for banking and investing. He was also an early supporter of Blue Apron, a service that delivers meal ingredients. Sanberg also created CalEITC4Me, a program in California. This program helps families with lower incomes get important tax credits from the state and federal governments.
Sanberg was arrested on March 3, 2025, for his alleged conspiracy to illicitly obtain no less than $145 million from two investor funds. He could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison if found guilty of the charges.
Contents
About Joe Sanberg
Early Life and Education
Joe Sanberg grew up in Southern California. He attended Servite High School in Anaheim. Later, he studied at Harvard University. He is of Jewish heritage.
Career Journey
After finishing college, Joe Sanberg worked in the financial world. He earned enough money to feel secure. However, he wanted to work in areas that connected helping people with making a profit. So, he started investing in new companies. These included Blue Apron, which delivers meal kits, and Aspiration.com.
Starting Aspiration
In 2013, Sanberg co-founded Aspiration, Inc. with Andrei Cherny. Aspiration is an online financial company. It lets customers choose how much they pay for their accounts. Aspiration also offers investment options that do not support fossil fuels.
Helping Communities
Sanberg was an early investor in Blue Apron. This company delivers ingredients for home-cooked meals. He also invested in IVY.com, which is like a "social university."
Joe Sanberg serves on the Board of Governors for the Jefferson Awards Foundation. This group helps over a million young people each year. They encourage youth to volunteer and serve their communities.
Public Service and Politics
In 2015, Joe Sanberg was a key leader in California. He helped the state start its own Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This credit helps working families.
Supporting Working Families
To support the California EITC, Sanberg founded CalEITC4Me. This program works across the state. It is managed by the Golden State Opportunity Foundation. This foundation studies ways to help Californians become more financially secure. CalEITC4Me helps working families claim their state and federal tax credits. It also helps them find free tax preparation services.
Exploring Political Roles
In 2018, there were reports that Sanberg might run for president in the 2020 United States presidential election. He was interested in a platform focused on fighting poverty. Sanberg said he would support the Democratic nominee if he did not run himself. He traveled to Ohio in April 2019 to explore the idea. On June 1, 2019, Sanberg announced he would not campaign for the presidency.
In 2021, there was talk of a special election to remove Governor Gavin Newsom. Sanberg called this recall effort "anti-democratic." However, some wondered if he might run in such an election.
Advocating for Fair Wages
In the 2024 California elections, Sanberg led an effort. This initiative aimed to raise the minimum wage to $18 per hour. Organizers reportedly collected over 1 million signatures for this idea. Sanberg said the idea was very popular, with more than 60% support.
