Ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes sentenced to more than 11 years in prison

Nov 18, 2022

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ben Burke (Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer)

Elizabeth Holmes, pregnant with her second child, was sentenced to 11.25 years in prison for fraud. Holmes was convicted in January of four counts of fraud for deceiving investors while running a scheme at Theranos, a now-defunct startup that claimed to have revolutionized blood testing.

Holmes had asked for no more than 18 months in prison, as she has a young son and has a child on the way. Prosecutors were shooting for a 15-year sentence.

U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, who oversaw the monthslong trial of Ms. Holmes, had nearly a year to contemplate his final decision.

Deciding factors most likely included the absence of any criminal history, the fact that Holmes is a mother to a young son with a second child on the way and that she never sold Theranos stock and ended up broke after the startup dissolved.

Experts anticipate her surrender will be delayed pending appeal.

Tags: Elizabeth Holmes, Theranos

PREGNANT ELIZABETH HOLMES WAS SENTENCED TO ? YEARS IN PRISON FOR FRAUD. BREAKING NEW DETAILS TO THE STORY WE BROUGHT YOU THIS MORNING.

HOLMES WAS CONVICTED IN JANUARY OF FOUR COUNTS OF FRAUD FOR DECEIVING INVESTORS WHILE RUNNING A SCHEME AT THERANOS, A NOW-DEFUNCT STARTUP THAT CLAIMED TO HAVE REVOLUTIONIZED BLOOD TESTING.

HOLMES HAD ASKED FOR NO MORE THAN 18 MONTHS IN PRISON, WHILE PROSECUTORS WERE SHOOTING FOR A 15-YEAR SENTENCE.

U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE EDWARD DAVILA, WHO OVERSAW THE MONTHSLONG TRIAL OF MS. HOLMES, HAD NEARLY A YEAR TO CONTEMPLATE HIS FINAL DECISION.

DECIDING FACTORS MOST LIKELY INCLUDED HER ABSENCE OF ANY CRIMINAL HISTORY, THE FACT THAT SHE’S A MOTHER TO A YOUNG SON WITH A SECOND CHILD ON THE WAY AND THAT SHE NEVER SOLD THERANOS STOCK AND ENDED UP BROKE AFTER THE STARTUP DISSOLVED.

THE GOVERNMENT SAID THE 38-YEAR-OLD FRAUDED AROUND $800 MILLION FROM INVESTORS. HER ATTORNEYS DISPUTED THAT CALCULATION.