Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes’ pregnancy likely to delay her federal trial

Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the biotech company Theranos that purported to have revolutionised blood testing in 2014, is pregnant. This can once again delay her highly-anticipated criminal fraud trial, reported CNN.

Holmes was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud in June 2018. The indictment alleged she engaged in a multi-million dollar scheme to cheat investors, and another scheme to deceive doctors and patients. Theranos’ former COO and president Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani is also accused of the same frauds. The duo could be sentenced to up to 20 years in jail. 

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According to a filing made on Friday with the US District Court for the Northern District of California, Holmes’ counsel informed that she is pregnant with a due date of July 2021.

The filing suggested August 31, 2021, as the date to begin Holmes’ trial. Her trial was initially scheduled to begin on July 28 last year. It was then delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic and postponed to October 27, 2020. 

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Holmes became the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire in 2014 after her company was valued at $9 billion. That ended journalist John Carreyrou’s work at The Wall Street Journal led to an investigation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Balwani’s trial will begin in January next year.