Jury finds Elizabeth Holmes guilty of fraud
The founder of Theranos, Elizabeth Homes, is set to learn her fate today as she appears in a San Jose federal courtroom where she could receive a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors are demanding that she be sentenced to 15 years in prison for her role in the company’s fraudulent claims.
Calling the case “one of the most substantial white collar offences Silicon Valley or any other district has seen,” prosecutors vehemently rejected defence attorneys’ characterisation that Holmes had been unfairly victimised, in part by media coverage.
She was convicted last year of three felony counts of wire fraud and one felony count of conspiracy to commit fraud.
Holmes’ lawyers have cast her as a scapegoat who overcame a toxic relationship to become a loving mother. They have argued that sending Holmes to prison was “unnecessary”.
“We acknowledge that this may seem a tall order given the public perception of this case especially when Ms Holmes is viewed as the caricature, not the person,” the court filing said earlier this week.
