A jury on Thursday convicted former Theranos executive Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani of collaborating with disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes in a massive fraud involving the blood-testing company that once enthralled Silicon Valley.
The 12 jurors found Balwani guilty on all 12 felony counts of defrauding both Theranos investors and the patients who relied on wildly unreliable blood tests that could have jeopardized their health.
Balwani sat expressionless as the verdicts were read.
Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, found guilty of 4 counts of fraud and conspiracy – Jan 3, 2022
The outcome puts Balwani and Holmes in similar situations. Holmes was convicted on four counts of investor fraud and conspiracy earlier this year. During that trial, Holmes tearfully accused Balwani of sexually and emotionally abusing her while they were lovers. An attorney for Balwani has vehemently denied those charges.
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Both Holmes, 38, and Balwani, 57, face up to 20 years in prison.
Holmes is scheduled to be sentenced in late September. The date of Balwani’s sentencing is expected to be set in the coming days.
The dual convictions representing a resounding victory for federal prosecutors, who seized on the Theranos case as a rare opportunity to hold ambitious entrepreneurs accountable for engaging in technological hyperbole while pursuing fame and fortune.
In the process, they hoped to discourage the practice of making bold and unproven promises about still-nascent products — a startup strategy known as “fake it until you make it.”
After the verdicts were read and the jury was dismissed, Balwani walked over to his two brothers who were sitting behind him for what appeared to be a solemn discussion. The three sat quietly, heads bowed.
© 2022 The Canadian Press
