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'She deserves longer': Pregnant Elizabeth Holmes slammed as she gets JUST 11 years for Theranos fraud

Holmes was given a sentence of 11.25 years in jail, three years of supervised release and a deadline of April 27 for surrender

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: Elizabeth Holmes, CEO of Theranos, was found guilty of cheating investors out of millions of dollars and was given an 11-year prison sentence by a federal judge. While receiving her sentence from US federal judge Edward Davila, pregnant Holmes, 38, sobbed and said to the court that she "tried to change the world."

She was wearing a black skirt and dark blouse, surrounded by her friends and relatives who hugged her in the courtroom as the judge announced her punishment. The federal government's recommendation was that she serve 15 years in prison. However, judge Davila gave Holmes a sentence of 11.25 years in jail, three years of supervised release and a deadline of April 27 for surrender. Her attorneys are anticipated to ask the judge to grant her request to remain free on bond while she files her appeal which she has 14 days to do. Following her conviction in January, Holmes fell pregnant. According to Daily Mail, Holmes sobbed as she said she was "devastated" by her mistakes and would have done many things differently given the chance throughout the hearing. “I have felt deep shame for what people went through because I failed them,” she said.

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Judge Davila said: “This case is so troubling on so many levels. There's no question that Ms. Holmes is bright. Was there a loss of a moral compass here? The tragedy of this case is Ms. Holmes is brilliant. Failure is normal. But failure by fraud is not OK. What is the pathology of fraud? Is it the inability to accept responsibility? Perhaps that the cautionary tale to come from this case.”

Holding hands with her partner Billy Evans, Holmes entered the courthouse without saying a word. When speaking before the court, Holmes sobbed and said: “I stand before you taking responsibility for Theranos. I loved Theranos. It was my life's work. There are so many things I would do differently if I had the chance. I tried to realize my dream too quickly. Yesterday I tried to change the world. Today, I'm wise, and want to change myself.” Rupert Murdoch and Betsy Devos are among the 10 investors, according to Davila, whose justifiable total loss was determined to be $121 million. Holmes has not admitted guilt for her crimes, Davilla said, telling the court: “She maintains that she did nothing wrong.” 

Fans on Twitter have taken this occasion to criticize pregnant Holmes and her action as one user wrote, “Elizabeth Holmes deserves no mercy. I don’t know why @CoryBooker
is shilling for her. Theranos was one of the greatest frauds of all time, next to Enron, Madoff, and likely FTX. No leniency for Holmes @SenBooker." Another person said, "Manipulation was her skill. Unfortunately, that has consequences. Hopefully she serves the entire 11 years and think about that every moment behind bars."

One user stated: "Can't believe she got pregnant! No doubt hoping it would garner pity." Another user commented: "I think she deserves every year of it but I want to see if people like SBF get the same treatment." One person said, "I feel like she really believed in her vision and her product, like if she had more time she’d get there? It was after she crossed the chasm with Sunny that things went off the rails. I honestly feel bad for her that’s a long time. But perhaps she deserves it." Another said, 'She deserves longer honestly.'

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