Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of failed blood-testing startup Theranos, had her conviction upheld by a US court. The 9th US circuit court of appeals rejected her multi-year appeal, upholding the convictions of Holmes and her former romantic partner and president Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani.
The two were tried separately in 2022 and sentenced to 11 years and three months, and 12 years and 11 months respectively. Holmes was ordered to pay $452m in restitution to investors, but her sentence has been reduced by over two years for good behavior while incarcerated.
Holmes claimed that her Edison blood-testing machine could perform a wide range of medical tests with just one drop of patient’s blood, but it never lived up to her promises. The court rejected claims of improper procedures and evidence, stating that the device’s performance was not contested.
In an initial hearing on her appeal, a US attorney said that “it was not really contested that the device did not work.” Holmes described federal prison as “hell and torture” in her first interview since being locked up. She also expressed regret over having to leave behind her loved ones, including her two young children and husband.
Holmes is expected to be released in 2032 after serving a nine-year sentence.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/24/elizabeth-holmes-theranos-conviction