Why is Elizabeth Holmes trending? Texas prison stay, new documentary puts disgraced founder back in headlines
BRYAN, Texas - About three hours south of DFW, a woman once hailed as the next Steve Jobs is serving time in federal prison. This week, she’s trending on social media.
Why is Elizabeth Holmes a meme?
What we know:
Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, currently imprisoned in Texas, made headlines once again after a scene from an upcoming documentary went viral online.
The new documentary, "You Can See Everything," opens Friday, Oct. 16.
Filmmakers Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim directed the nearly three-hour film.
The directors say Holmes and her husband, Billy Evans, allowed a film crew into their home during the 34 days before she reported to prison. The crew continued following the couple for about three years.
The film surprised audiences when it debuted at the Telluride Film Festival on Sept. 6, and a festival in Amsterdam announced Tuesday it will also show the documentary.
Elizabeth Holmes poses for a picture with Fortune magazine.
Who is Elizabeth Holmes?
The backstory:
Holmes founded Theranos based on claims she invented a machine capable of testing for hundreds of diseases using just a few drops of blood.
Investors poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the company, pushing its peak valuation to about $9 billion.
The technology never worked, leading the company to shut down in 2018.
In 2022, a jury convicted Holmes of defrauding investors out of more than $450 million.
Local perspective:
Holmes reported to Federal Prison Camp Bryan on May 30, 2023.
The women's facility operates in Bryan, Texas, about three hours south of Dallas-Fort Worth.
Elizabeth Holmes spotted at Texas prison where Ghislaine Maxwell was transferred
Elizabeth Holmes, the 41-year-old Theranos founder, is serving an 11-year sentence after she was convicted of knowingly misleading investors.
When does Elizabeth Holmes get out of prison?
What's next:
Holmes originally received a sentence of 11 years and three months. A judge shortened the sentence to 123 months, or about 10 years and three months, in March.
The federal prison system approved her to move to a halfway house in Del Valle, near Austin. The target date for this move is Aug. 23, 2027.
Officials project her full release for March or April 2032.
The Source: The information in this article comes from previous FOX reporting and A24 films.