The spectacular fraud scandal involving the blood test company Theranos is going to court. And the once celebrated founder Elizabeth Holmes is apparently using a surprising defense strategy: She wants to accuse her most important employee and ex-lover of abuse.
Elizabeth Holmes and her blood test company Theranos represent the most spectacular Silicon Valley scandal in recent years. With the promise of one supposedly revolutionary Blood test method, the start-up had raised hundreds of millions of dollars in investor money by 2015 and reached a billion dollar valuation. But when it became known that the process was working far less well than it was claimed, the company collapsed completely.
Now the trial begins against the founder Elizabeth Holmes, who was once celebrated as a child prodigy – and that too promises to be spectacular. This Tuesday, the selection of the jury, who will decide whether the 37-year-old has cheated investors and customers on a large scale, will begin on Tuesday. A conviction could result in a prison term of up to 20 years.
Allegations of abuse against ex-partners
To avert this, Holmes is apparently using a surprising defense strategy. As the “Wall Street Journal” reports, Holmes wants to discuss in detail the relationship with Ramesh Balwani, her former chief operating officer at Theranos and at the same time long secret lover. This is said to have abused Holmes psychologically, emotionally and sexually, according to the documents submitted to the court, which the journal cited. Balwani is said to have controlled what Holmes ate, when she slept and what she was wearing. He allegedly threw sharp objects at her and monitored her text messages and emails.
Balwani, whose own trial is due to begin next year, denies the allegations. But Holmes apparently wants to base their defense strategy on it, writes the journal. The allegedly toxic relationship is said to have compromised her sanity and judgment. Under the influence of Balwani, Holmes is said to have believed many of the things she said about her company and which later turned out to be wrong. In court, she now apparently wants to prove that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of the relationship.
Trial postponed due to pregnancy
Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos in 2003 in Palo Alto, California. The biotech company electrified investors with the promise of having developed a device that would enable extensive medical analysis with just a few drops of blood. Holmes, who preferred to appear in a black turtleneck, was celebrated as a child prodigy, her fortune at times estimated at 3.5 billion dollars.
But after research by the Wall Street Journal, doubts about the effectiveness of the method of the mysterious company increased from 2015. The authorities investigated and charges were brought in 2018. The fact that the process could not start earlier was initially due to the corona pandemic. Finally, the trial had to be postponed again for a few weeks because Holmes was pregnant. She gave birth to a son in July.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
