‘You can’t make this stuff up’: why we remain fascinated by Elizabeth Holmes
The entrepreneur turned fraudster is the subject of an Oscar-tipped new documentary that takes an unusual look at her strange legacy
TL;DR
- Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos at 19, promising to revolutionize blood testing with a few drops of blood.
- She adopted a distinctive persona, including a husky voice and black turtlenecks, drawing comparisons to Steve Jobs.
- Holmes attracted significant investment from prominent figures like Rupert Murdoch and Henry Kissinger.
- Despite no peer-reviewed data, Holmes's charisma swayed investors and board members, including George Shultz's grandson, Tyler, who later exposed the company's flaws.
- Medical experts like David Agus and John Ioannidis raised red flags early on regarding the scientific feasibility and lack of evidence.
- Holmes was convicted of fraud and conspiracy, sentenced to over 11 years in prison.
- A new documentary, 'You Can See Everything,' filmed before her imprisonment, offers an intimate look at her life and suggests she was planning a new startup.
- Experts warn that Silicon Valley's 'founder culture' and concentration of power in few hands, which enabled Holmes, remains a significant issue.