London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 28, 2026

Court orders Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes to go to prison

Court orders Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes to go to prison

A court has ruled that disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes must report to prison on 30 May, while she appeals against her fraud conviction.
Holmes, 39, had asked a judge to remain free while she fought against her jail sentence for a blood-testing hoax.

She was sentenced to over 11 years in prison after a jury last year found her guilty of defrauding investors.

In a separate ruling, US District Judge Edward Davila also ordered Holmes to pay $452m (£364m) to victims.

She will split the multi-million dollar payment with her former romantic and business partner, ex-Theranos boss Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani.

The BBC has reached out to Holmes' attorneys for comment.

Balwani was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted on 12 counts of fraud and conspiracy last year. He began serving his sentence in April after losing his own attempt to remain free while appealing against his conviction.

The court has recommended Holmes serve her time behind bars at a federal minimum-security women's prison in Bryan, Texas.

Holmes had asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to delay her sentence days before she was supposed to report to prison last month.

The Theranos founder had said that she would raise "substantial questions" about her case that could warrant a new trial, an argument that Judge Davila had rejected.

"Contrary to her suggestion that accuracy and reliability were central issues to her convictions, Ms Holmes' misrepresentations to Theranos investors involved more than just whether Theranos technology worked as promised," he said at the time.

Holmes' attorneys also argued she should remain free while appealing against her case to care for her children.

The mother of two has been living in San Diego, California, with her partner, hotel heir William Evans, as well as their one-year-old son William and three-month-old daughter Invicta.

Once hailed as the "next Steve Jobs", Holmes was said to be the world's youngest self-made billionaire.

She started Theranos after dropping out of Stanford University. During her time leading the company, Holmes was able to raise millions of dollars from high-profile investors, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Oracle founder Larry Ellison.

But the start-up crashed in 2018 after investigations revealed its technology did not work. The blood-testing device was purported to be able to run a multitude of tests from just a few drops of blood.

The company's downfall was documented in a TV series, an HBO documentary and a podcast.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Badenoch Offers Tory Votes to Keep Serious Offenders in Prison
Why Americans Queue for $15 Ice Cream and a $100 Caviar Pint
Another AI Genius Left the United States — and Silicon Valley Is Starting to Worry
Shein Reports $99mn Loss as Trade Barriers Test Low-Cost Model
CXMT Gains 466% in China’s Biggest IPO Since 2010
Amazon Seeks Approval for 5,105-Satellite Mobile Network
Burnham Puts School-to-Work Reform at Centre of Welfare Strategy
Johnson & Johnson Agrees to $5.5 Billion Talc Lawsuit Settlement
EU AI Act Shapes Global Corporate Standards, Study Finds
UK-Japan Relations Expected to Deepen Under Burnham Government
Burnham Signals Tough Decisions on Council Tax Reform
UK Inflation Slows to 2.6% in June
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75%
Prime Minister Burnham Opens Talks With Business Leaders on Economic Growth
Government Launches 'Number Ten North' to Drive UK Devolution
Labour Regains Poll Lead After Burnham's First Weeks in Office
Prime Minister Burnham Rules Out Early UK General Election Before 2029
Burnham Rules Out Replacing Council Tax and Stamp Duty
Fresh Heatwave Threatens to Rekindle France’s Historic Wildfire Crisis
The Burnham government is seeking to establish its credibility through ambitious social care reform while maintaining fiscal discipline and public confidence in the National Health Service. Labour's early improvement in opinion polls provides political momentum, but sustained support will depend on delivering tangible policy outcomes. Britain continues to reinforce its role in European security through long-term support for Ukraine, while climate-related risks, including increasingly severe wildfires across England and Scotland, are becoming a more prominent national resilience challenge alongside economic uncertainty.
United Kingdom Economy Remains Exposed to Global Energy Risks
Prime Minister Dismisses Calls for an Early General Election
Scottish Wildfires Continue to Stretch Emergency Services
United Kingdom Faces Rising Wildfire Risk as Heatwave Continues
Lower Oil Prices Ease Inflation Concerns and Support Financial Markets
Financial Conduct Authority Launches Consumer Campaign on Car Finance Compensation
Government Prioritises Employment Over Benefit Cuts in Welfare Reform Plans
Prime Minister Rules Out Sweeping Property Tax Changes Before Autumn Budget
AstraZeneca Beats Expectations as Cancer Medicines Drive Strong Profit Growth
Labour Regains Narrow Polling Lead After Burnham's First Week in Office
United Kingdom Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to Ukraine Under Burnham Government
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Makes Social Care Reform the First Major Test of His Government
Following OpenAI's Cyberattack: 'Most Companies Still Do Not Understand What Is Coming'
Autopsy Finds No Violence in Death of Epstein-Linked Model Scout
Indian Education Minister Resigns After Cockroach Youth Protests
California Desert Data-Centre Plan Stalls as Water and Power Disputes Mount
Northern Ireland Border Security Tightened After Military-Grade Explosive Interception
British Hospitality Sector Targets Summer Visitors Through Regional Promotions
England River Access Debate Intensifies After New Data Shows Limited Public Access
Royal Navy Strengthens Maritime Vigilance Amid Rising Security Concerns
UK Education Department Expands Mental Health Support for Young People Entering Work
UK Tourism Industry Launches Summer Campaigns to Boost Domestic Travel
North England Transport Plans Advance to Support Industrial Growth
Financial Markets Watch New Government’s Economic Strategy as Investors Assess Fiscal Risks
Royal Navy Continues Monitoring Russian Naval Activity Near UK Waters
UK Care Workers May Receive Immigration Exemptions Under Proposed Visa Changes
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper Begins Emergency Talks to Address NHS Staffing Shortages
UK Banks Launch High-Interest Savings Offers to Attract Household Deposits
North Sea Oil Drilling Projects Face Delays After Offshore Equipment Accident
Cairngorms Wildfire Highlights Growing Pressure on UK Emergency Services
×