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Elizabeth Holmes

Founder and former CEO of Theranos^{Source [1]}^{Source [8]}

Medical diagnosticsBlood testingHealth care

Unclaimed profileLast verified Oct 2, 2026

About

Elizabeth Holmes is the founder and former chief executive officer of Theranos, a blood testing company she established in 2003 after leaving Stanford University during her second year. She served as CEO and chair of the board until 2018.^{Source [1]}^{Source [2]}^{Source [3]}^{Source [4]}

Theranos developed a miniaturized analyzer called the Edison and proprietary nanotainers for collecting blood from a fingerstick, partnered with Walgreens in 2010 and began offering tests in Walgreens stores in 2013. The SEC states that Holmes, Balwani and Theranos raised more than $700 million from investors from late 2013 to 2015.^{Source [2]}^{Source [1]}^{Source [5]}

In December 2014 the Horatio Alger Association named her a 2015 Horatio Alger Award recipient, the youngest in its history, and in April 2015 she was included in the TIME 100.^{Source [3]}^{Source [6]}

In March 2018 she settled SEC fraud charges without admitting or denying the allegations. A federal jury convicted her on January 3, 2022 of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud relating to investors, and she was sentenced to 135 months on November 18, 2022. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the convictions, sentence and $452 million restitution order on February 24, 2025, and on March 26, 2026 the district court reduced the sentence to 123 months. As of October 2, 2026 the Bureau of Prisons lists her at FPC Bryan with a projected release date of February 22, 2030.^{Source [5]}^{Source [7]}^{Source [8]}^{Source [2]}^{Source [9]}^{Source [10]}^{Source [11]}

Watch

Elizabeth Holmes exposed: The $9 billion medical ‘miracle’ that never existed | 60 Minutes Australia by 60 Minutes Australia on YouTube

Career

Theranos

2003 to 2018

Company	Years	Role	Status
Theranos Founded Theranos in 2003 and served as its chairperson and chief executive officer. In March 2018 she settled SEC fraud charges without admitting or denying the allegations, agreeing to a $500,000 penalty, a 10-year officer and director bar, the return of 18.9 million shares and the conversion of her Class B shares. A federal grand jury indicted her in June 2018, and she stepped down as CEO that month. On January 3, 2022 a jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud relating to investors; it acquitted her on the patient-related conspiracy count and three patient-related wire fraud counts, could not reach a verdict on three investor counts, and one further count had been dismissed during trial. On November 18, 2022 she was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and three years of supervision. She reported to the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas on May 30, 2023. On February 24, 2025 the Ninth Circuit affirmed the convictions, the sentence and a $452 million restitution order. On March 26, 2026 the district court reduced the sentence to 123 months under a retroactive sentencing guidelines amendment. As of October 2, 2026 the Bureau of Prisons lists her at FPC Bryan with a projected release date of February 22, 2030, and news reports say she is approved to transfer to a halfway house in August 2027.^{Source [5]}^{Source [12]}^{Source [4]}^{Source [7]}^{Source [8]}^{Source [14]}^{Source [10]}^{Source [15]}^{Source [11]}^{Source [16]}^{Source [2]} Founded Theranos in 2003 as a Delaware corporation after leaving college during her second year; it worked on a device to analyze blood from a fingerstick.^{Source [1]} Theranos partnered with Walgreens in 2010 and publicly launched testing services in Walgreens stores in the fall of 2013.^{Source [2]} Per the SEC complaint, from late 2013 to 2015 Holmes, Balwani and Theranos raised more than $700 million from investors in two financing rounds, and in 2014 she obtained super-voting Class B shares giving her over 99 percent of voting power.^{Source [1]}^{Source [5]} Ramesh Balwani joined in 2009 and served as President and Chief Operating Officer until 2016; the SEC complaint says they were the company's only senior managing executives in that period.^{Source [1]} Stepped down as CEO on June 15, 2018, remaining Founder and Chair of the Board; general counsel David Taylor became CEO.^{Source [4]} Suggest a correction to Theranos	2003 to 2018	Founder^{Source [1]}^{Source [12]}^{Source [13]}Chief Executive Officer^{Source [8]}^{Source [4]}	Shut down

Company

Years

Role

Status

Theranos

Founded Theranos in 2003 and served as its chairperson and chief executive officer. In March 2018 she settled SEC fraud charges without admitting or denying the allegations, agreeing to a $500,000 penalty, a 10-year officer and director bar, the return of 18.9 million shares and the conversion of her Class B shares. A federal grand jury indicted her in June 2018, and she stepped down as CEO that month. On January 3, 2022 a jury convicted her of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud relating to investors; it acquitted her on the patient-related conspiracy count and three patient-related wire fraud counts, could not reach a verdict on three investor counts, and one further count had been dismissed during trial. On November 18, 2022 she was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and three years of supervision. She reported to the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas on May 30, 2023. On February 24, 2025 the Ninth Circuit affirmed the convictions, the sentence and a $452 million restitution order. On March 26, 2026 the district court reduced the sentence to 123 months under a retroactive sentencing guidelines amendment. As of October 2, 2026 the Bureau of Prisons lists her at FPC Bryan with a projected release date of February 22, 2030, and news reports say she is approved to transfer to a halfway house in August 2027.^{Source [5]}^{Source [12]}^{Source [4]}^{Source [7]}^{Source [8]}^{Source [14]}^{Source [10]}^{Source [15]}^{Source [11]}^{Source [16]}^{Source [2]}

Founded Theranos in 2003 as a Delaware corporation after leaving college during her second year; it worked on a device to analyze blood from a fingerstick.^{Source [1]}
Theranos partnered with Walgreens in 2010 and publicly launched testing services in Walgreens stores in the fall of 2013.^{Source [2]}
Per the SEC complaint, from late 2013 to 2015 Holmes, Balwani and Theranos raised more than $700 million from investors in two financing rounds, and in 2014 she obtained super-voting Class B shares giving her over 99 percent of voting power.^{Source [1]}^{Source [5]}
Ramesh Balwani joined in 2009 and served as President and Chief Operating Officer until 2016; the SEC complaint says they were the company's only senior managing executives in that period.^{Source [1]}
Stepped down as CEO on June 15, 2018, remaining Founder and Chair of the Board; general counsel David Taylor became CEO.^{Source [4]}

Suggest a correction to Theranos

2003 to 2018

Founder^{Source [1]}^{Source [12]}^{Source [13]}Chief Executive Officer^{Source [8]}^{Source [4]}

Shut down

Milestones

2026-03-26The district court reduced her sentence from 135 to 123 months under a retroactive guidelines amendment.^{Source [10]}
2025-02-24The Ninth Circuit affirmed her convictions, sentence and the $452 million restitution order.^{Source [2]}^{Source [9]}
2023-05-30Reported to the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas.^{Source [14]}
2022-11-18Sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and three years of supervision.^{Source [8]}
2022-01-03Convicted by a jury on four counts relating to Theranos investors.^{Source [7]}^{Source [8]}
2018-09Theranos told stockholders it would begin a formal dissolution.^{Source [13]}
2018-06-15Indicted on federal wire fraud charges and stepped down as Theranos CEO.^{Source [12]}^{Source [4]}
2018-03-14Settled SEC fraud charges without admitting or denying the allegations.^{Source [5]}
2015-04Included in the TIME 100.^{Source [6]}
2014-12Named a 2015 Horatio Alger Award recipient.^{Source [3]}
2013Theranos launched testing services in Walgreens stores and began a financing effort that raised more than $700 million through 2015.^{Source [2]}^{Source [1]}
2010Theranos partnered with Walgreens.^{Source [2]}
2003Founded Theranos.^{Source [1]}^{Source [2]}

Education

Stanford University, No degree (left during her second year), Engineering^{Source [1]}^{Source [3]}^{Source [17]}

Honors

Horatio Alger Award 2015^{Source [3]}^{Source [17]}
TIME 100 2015^{Source [6]}

Sources

SEC v. Theranos, Inc. and Elizabeth Holmes, Complaint, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2018-03-14. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
United States v. Holmes; United States v. Balwani, Opinion, Nos. 22-10312 et al., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2025-02-24. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes ... to Receive 2015 Horatio Alger Award (Horatio Alger Association release), PR Newswire, 2014-12-04. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Theranos Announces Management Transition (company press release), Theranos via BioSpace, 2018-06-15. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Theranos, CEO Holmes, and Former President Balwani Charged With Massive Fraud, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2018-03-14. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes: The 2015 TIME 100, TIME, 2015-04-15. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes Found Guilty Of Investor Fraud, U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California, 2022-01-04. Accessed Sep 28, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes Sentenced To More Than 11 Years For Defrauding Theranos Investors Of Hundreds Of Millions, U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California, 2022-11-18. Accessed Sep 28, 2026.
Appeals court upholds convictions of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, former lover and business partner, CBS San Francisco, 2025-02-24. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Federal court cuts Holmes sentence after finding no investor suffered hardship, InvestmentNews, 2026-03-31. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Find an inmate: Elizabeth Holmes, Federal Bureau of Prisons. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Theranos Founder and Former Chief Operating Officer Charged In Alleged Wire Fraud Schemes, U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California, 2018-06-15. Accessed Sep 28, 2026.
Theranos Set to Dissolve As Company Defaults On Fortress Loan, Fortune, 2018-09-05. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes reports to Federal Prison Camp in Bryan for 11 year sentence, KBTX, 2023-05-30. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes to be transferred to a halfway house next year, NBC News, 2026-09-24. Accessed Sep 28, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes scheduled to move to halfway house in August 2027, ABC News, 2026-09-23. Accessed Sep 28, 2026.
Elizabeth Holmes, Wikipedia. Accessed Oct 2, 2026.

History

Oct 2, 2026: Enriched profile: about, education, awards, milestones, links and stint highlights; BOP status re-verified (Founded editors)
Sep 28, 2026: Profile created from public sources (Founded editors)

Compiled by Founded editors from the cited public sources. Editorial policy / Request removal