Reading Time: 3 minutes
Back in Elizabeth Holmes was convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges in connection with her actions as the founder and CEO of Theranos.
Holmes was sentenced to 11 years in prison for lying to investors and leading them to believe her healthcare technology company had developed blood-testing devices that would revolutionize the medical industry.
And in the blink of an eye, the California native went from being the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire to an inmate at a federal corrections institute.
Elizabeth Holmes Says Prison Life Is ‘Torture’
Now, in her first interview since reporting to prison in March of 2023, Holmes describes her life behind bars as “hell” and “torture.”
“I’m not the same person I was back then,” Holmes tells People magazine, while acknowledging “there are things I would have done differently” during her time as the head of Theranos.
“It’s surreal. People who have never met me believe so strongly about me. They don’t understand who I am,” she explains.
“It forces you to spend a lot of time questioning belief and hoping the truth will prevail. I am walking by faith and, ultimately, the truth. But it’s been hell and torture to be here.”
Holmes Maintains Innocence as She Begins Her Third Year In Prison
Throughout her trial, Holmes maintained that she had been manipulated by fellow Theranos executive Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, whom she dated for several years.
“First it was about accepting it happened,” says Holmes of her relationship with Balwani.
“Then it was about forgiving myself for my own part. [And] I refused to plead guilty to crimes I did not commit. Theranos failed. But failure is not fraud.”
Holmes Says Hardest Part Is Separation From Children
A mother of two, Holmes gave birth to her first child just before the start of her trial.
She and husband Billy Evans welcomed a second child two years later. The arrival of the baby girl — Invicta, from the Latin for “invincible” — led to a one-month delay to the start of Holmes’ sentence.
When she arrived at Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas, Holmes asked guards to wait as she used a breast pump to collect milk for her daughter.
“I always wanted to be a mother,” she explains to People. “I truly did not think I would ever be convicted or found guilty.”
Holmes says she and her legal team plan to continue appealing her sentence. With good behavior, she’ll be eligible for parole in 2032.
