Elizabeth Holmes Seeks Early Release Through Appeal To President Trump
Elizabeth Holmes, the former Theranos founder convicted of defrauding investors, has formally asked President Donald Trump to reduce her prison sentence, according to a clemency request submitted to the US Department of Justice last year.
Holmes was found guilty in 2022 and began serving an 11-year federal sentence in 2023 at a prison camp in Texas. Under her current sentence, she is scheduled for release in December 2031. A successful commutation would shorten that term by nearly six years.
The request comes after a federal appeals court last year affirmed the convictions of Holmes and former Theranos president Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani. The court also upheld the restitution order requiring the pair to pay $452 million to those harmed by the company’s collapse.
Holmes rose to prominence as a college dropout who founded Theranos, a Silicon Valley startup once valued at $9 billion. The company claimed it had developed technology capable of running a wide range of medical tests using just a small amount of blood. Those promises attracted nearly $1 billion in investment, high-profile board members, and partnerships with major retailers.
Theranos’ downfall began after investigative reporting by The Wall Street Journal raised serious doubts about the reliability of its technology. In 2018, Holmes and Balwani were charged with multiple counts of wire fraud and conspiracy. Both denied wrongdoing, but juries ultimately found them guilty.
Now 41, Holmes is serving her sentence at Federal Prison Camp Bryan, a minimum-security facility located about 100 miles from Houston.
The White House declined to comment on the request, noting that clemency petitions are confidential and that final decisions rest solely with the president. Lawyers for Holmes did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Holmes has also resurfaced in online discussions after renewed activity appeared on her X account in recent months. The account has shared posts referencing her family life, experiences in prison, and praise for President Trump’s healthcare affordability initiatives. A disclaimer on the account says posts are “mostly my words, posted by others,” though it remains unclear who manages it.
In a recent post, the account stated, “We are continuing to fight for my innocence and we know the truth can not be repressed for ever.”
Trump has issued several notable pardons and commutations during his second term, including relief for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht, both of whom had been convicted on federal charges.
