In November 2022, Theranos scammer Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to 11 years and three months for four fraud convictions. Holmes was seven months pregnant at the time, so didn’t begin her sentence until May 30, 2023 at Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas, a minimum security prison nicknamed “Club Fed.” After only six weeks, her sentence was already reduced by two years, and it was reduced again by another year this past March. I do not know enough about federal sentencing guidelines, clearly, but this does not seem like justice when weighed against the severity of Holmes’ crimes. So you better believe that I was gobsmacked by the news that Holmes has been approved to move to a halfway house next year. According to the Department of Justice’s Victim Notification System, in August 2027 Holmes will relocate to the Austin Transitional Center in Del Valle, Texas. HOW is this happening??
The Federal Bureau of Prisons declined to provide information on the move, saying it doesn’t discuss “the conditions of confinement for any individual, including release plans.”
“BOP assigns individuals to facilities based on several factors. These include the level of security and supervision required, medical or programmatic needs, separation or security considerations necessary for the individual’s safety, and other relevant factors, such as proximity to the individual’s release residence,” the spokesperson told CNN Wednesday.
CNN has reached out to Holmes’ attorneys for comment.
Halfway houses, also known as residential reentry centers, offer a supervised environment for inmates nearing release and services including career counseling and financial management assistance, according to the bureau.
The Austin Transitional Center is a 460-bed “community corrections center” owned by a private prison company. It’s located about 7 miles southeast of downtown Austin and is one of eight residential reentry centers in Texas.
Holmes, 42, began serving her sentence in May 2023 and was scheduled for release in February 2030, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
News of the move comes about six months after a federal judge reduced Holmes’ prison sentence from 135 months to 123 months, finding she qualified for a retroactive sentencing-guidelines reduction for offenders who had no prior criminal history and met other conditions, according to a March court order.
Holmes had also asked President Donald Trump for an early release from prison, according to a request filed with the Department of Justice. The White House earlier this year told CNN it does not comment on clemency requests.
…Earlier this year, Holmes had gained renewed attention online after posts again began appearing on her X account, including a post lauding Trump’s health care affordability efforts. The Holmes account, which also features posts about Holmes’ husband, children and activities in prison, notes that posts are “mostly my words, posted by others.” It’s not clear who is managing the account.
“We are continuing to fight for my innocence and we know the truth can not be repressed for ever (sic),” Holmes’ account posted in January.
As I’ve said before, I’m extremely disappointed that Holmes continuing to maintain her innocence doesn’t seem to be factoring into her sentence reductions. At least she and Sunny Balwani (Theranos President, also convicted and serving time) are still on the hook for $452 million in restitution to victims. Which reminds me of another moment that stood out to me from the full You Can See Everything trailer that dropped this week: when Nathan Fielder is addressing Holmes’ devoted partner (and hotel heir) Billy Evans, and asks Evans if he was worried Holmes was scamming him. Evans says, “100%, but what does she have to gain from me?” and Fielder responds, “Well, isn’t your family rich?” That is not a question/accusation that should have taken Evans by surprise, is alls I’m sayin’.
And now this halfway house news… Holmes relocating next August means she will have served four years and three months in prison on an 11-year-three-month sentence that’s been cut down to eight years (so far), and who knows how long she’ll be in the halfway house before getting sprung. My blood is boiling, and more than a pin-prick’s worth.
Eat the rich…. She completely destroyed people’s lives and absolutely doesn’t deserve this preferential treatment. How much bribe money has she coughed up? The woman is a blazing psycho who will re-offend and has no remorse about perpetrating a massive fraud that deliberately targeted the most vulnerable. F her and f the system that enables peoples like this trash while trapping brown, black and poor people into cycles of incarceration and poverty.
Agreed, and amen, @TN Democrat. She’s everything that’s wrong with Mad King Donald’s MAGA-hat ‘Murica. Ick.
The system has always been insanely lenient towards white collar criminals. 70% of scammers serve only 1-2 years in prison so she’s actually been behind bars longer than most. Ruining peoples’ lives is not a serious crime in our society, apparently.
She will absolutely reoffend. This is so outrageous. Two different justices in America.
It is very rare for federal prison sentences to be reduced, and I don’t know of a case where a sentence has been reduced after the convict refuses to take accountability for their actions. My guess is that she is sitting on a huge amount of money somewhere hidden and is using it to buy her way out. No justice when the rich are involved.
Given how these kind of businesses work, she’s unlikely to have more than 5 or so million herself. Maybe more.
Given the nature of her fake business, I reckon she’s got people by the short and curlies.
Imagine promoting an utterly fake business, then putting all your clients into it a la madoff. 9 billion dollar value. Some rich money went in. I suspect some people who matter don’t want to be name checked. That’s my guess.
If she were a person of color would this have happened? I suspect not.
@CarolHill — to that point, I’ve heard nothing about Sunny Balwani leap frogging his sentence, which was lengthier than hers.
How did this happen? She bought a few million in Trump crypto, that’s how.
Her sentencing, the country club life, now essentially early release for what she did. Its absolutely shocking. There’s something at play. For that level of fraud others have been put away for decades. She’s got something on someone. And she’s not on the hook for half a billion, she’s not paying that. Not how it works.
She’s manifestly guilty and is exactly the sort to re-offend.
She is perhaps a sociopath? Which doesn’t explain why the federal government is colluding with her to set her free; only money and bribery explains that.
Perhaps a sociopath? She’s absolutely a sociopath or a psychopath. Its impossible to know which. One is bio one is enviro. She’s absolutely one.
She definitely has NPD. It’s really obvious to anybody who knows the signs. My guess is she’s been in communication with the Trump admin behind the scenes, since she was openly appealing for a reduction on social media awhile back. Gross either way.
She’s a blonde white woman…so this tracks.
Gotta be MAGA and have some close connections to him or his thugs… and she’s got young kids ( God help them) but it plays well among the MAGA rich set and a rich husband… Really cannot make this white MAgA profile up.
I’ve been listening to The Dropout podcast. It’s incredibly well done, and I am also losing my mind sitting through it because EH is THE WORST. She is an evil selfish lying criminal and there is just no way around it. The most entitled, privileged, and manipulative asshole. The only solace I’ve had for my anger while listening is that I know she was found guilty and serving almost 11 years – and now she’s about to be out and in a transition facility, which I’m sure will be a short stint. She’s remained on her bullshit and will definitely restart the grift in earnest when she’s released back to her idiot husband and get out of jail free babies. It’s disgusting.
Federal sentencing guidelines are serving 85% of a sentence. Even with the one year shaved off. 10 years is 8.5 years. And now she gets out in under 4 years. And you know the husband has the money to buy a home close to the halfway house. That will just be a pitstop for her. Before they go back to their country club lifestyle in California.
I do believe she is sitting on hidden money and her husband is an heir to a hotel chain via his parents. with an estimated net worth of over 10 million. This was just an inconvenience to her. And she got to use the time in a basic club fed doing arts and crafts and making new business connections for her next venture.
Justice is only aligned with how rich you are to buy your way out of accountability.