Disgraced Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, has given an extensive series of interviews to the New York Times, published just days after she successfully postponed the start of her 11-year prison sentence. Holmes told the Times that she had spent the past year volunteering for a rape crisis hotline, working 12-hour shifts, among other seemingly sympathetic details.
Holmes hasn’t spoken to the media since 2016, and she appears to have used this opportunity to present herself as more human, defend her record, and pitch herself as a future health-tech innovator.
On Theranos, she said: “I made so many mistakes, and there was so much I didn’t know and understand, and I feel like when you do it wrong, it’s like you really internalize it deeply.”
Holmes had a spectacular fall after then-Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou dug into claims made by her $9 billion health-tech startup, Theranos, that it had invented blood-testing devices that only required trace amounts of blood. Carreyrou reported in 2015 that these claims were false, prompting regulatory investigations and a lawsuit filed by the SEC.
In January 2022, Holmes was convicted on four counts of fraud and conspiracy and sentenced to 11 years in prison. She was supposed to report to prison last month, but she filed a last-minute appeal, which extended her sentence. The 39-year-old became known for her signature black turtleneck, red lipstick, messy blonde hair, and (as it turns out, false) masculine voice, all of which she admitted to the New York Times weren’t “authentic.”
Dr. Eli David expressed his thoughts about Holmes prison sentence. You can read the full Tweet below.
Elizabeth Holmes got 11 years in prison for lying about a product that didn't work, but nobody was forced to use.
But those who lied about a product that didn't work which hundreds of millions were forced to take, got nothing. pic.twitter.com/bdGcT3QwZo
— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) April 30, 2023
The profile also features Holmes’ partner, Billy Evans, and her two young children. As Theranos was collapsing, the fallen entrepreneur met Evans. “Finding your person in the middle of all of this and experiencing that love when you’re going through hell is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced,” she told the New York Times.
Holmes Volunteered Work
Holmes also stated that she volunteered for a rape crisis hotline, citing previous abuse allegations as her motivation. As previously reported by Insider, Holmes testified against her former romantic partner and ex-Theranos chief operating officer Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani in December 2021, alleging physical and emotional abuse.
She also told the court that she was a victim of se*ual assault while a student at Stanford, which led her to drop out and find Theranos. She told the New York Times that surviving an alleged assault at a fraternity party her sophomore year influenced her life choices. The newspaper reviewed a 52-page report on the alleged se*ual assault. Holmes did not file charges. Many people also searching for When Is SPM Release Date: Will Fans Have to Wait Much Longer?
Holmes also briefly mentioned her desire to continue working in health technology, specifically COVID-19 testing. Any hoped-for rehabilitation, however, is likely to be thwarted by Holmes’ conviction; Theranos’ aggressive response to the Wall Street Journal’s reporting; Holmes’ deflection of blame during her trial; and her reported reaction to one of Theranos’ first employees’ suicide. Representatives for Holmes did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
If you found this post informative, make sure to bookmark our website, dailyrealtime.com, for more news in the future.