Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on November 18, 2022 in San Jose, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
Elizabeth Holmes, the founding father of disgraced biotech firm Theranos, bought a one-way ticket to Mexico shortly after she was convicted of fraud last January, a court filing submitted Thursday alleges.
Holmes was found guilty on 4 counts of lying to investors on Jan. 3, 2022. Shortly thereafter, federal prosecutors allege within the filing, Holmes bought a flight to Mexico departing Jan. 26, 2022 with no scheduled return trip. The U.S. government became aware of the booking on Jan. 23, 2022.
“Only after the federal government raised this unauthorized flight with defense counsel was the trip canceled,” prosecutors say.
The Thursday filing got here as a part of the federal government’s opposition to Holmes’ motion for release from detention pending appeal of her sentencing; in November, a judge sentenced Holmes to greater than 11 years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Edward Davila ordered Holmes to give up herself into custody by April 27. It has not yet been determined where she would serve her sentence, but Davila has really useful a minimum-security prison camp in Texas.
Holmes’ partner, William Evans, also bought a one-way ticket “and didn’t return until roughly six weeks later, coming back from a unique continent,” prosecutors said.
“The federal government anticipates (Holmes) will note in reply that she didn’t in reality leave the country as scheduled—but it surely is difficult to know with certainty what (Holmes) would have done had the federal government not intervened,” prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also allege Holmes maintains access to vast financial resources.
“(Holmes) has lived on an estate for over a 12 months where, based upon the monthly money flow statement (Holmes) provided to the U.S. Probation Office, monthly expenses exceed $13,000 per thirty days,” they write.
They further note that a judge has found that Holmes “never fully appreciated that [s]he could be incarcerated” based on “ill-founded hopes that the Court would give [her] a probationary sentence.” Moreover, Holmes has not “demonstrated . . . in [her] words or manner, a real acceptance that [s]he stole a major sum of money from [investors] by lying and falsifying documents,” the prosecutors say.
They thus vehemently object to any release.
“At the identical time when her incentive to flee has never been higher, (Holmes) has requested the Court ease the restrictions on her travel, permitting her to travel outside of the Northern District of California and maybe out of the state altogether ‘because of her better half’s employment.'”
The U.S. has maintained bilateral extradition treaties with Mexico dating back to the nineteenth century — perhaps contrary to belief that crossing the southern border guarantees freedom. Since 2005, Mexico has deported between 150 and 200 fugitives to face charges within the U.S., in line with the U.S. State Department.
In a single distinguished example, Wanda Lee Ann Podgurski, convicted of disability and insurance fraud in 2013, was apprehended in Mexico six months after an account in her name tweeted, “Catch me when you can.”
The U.S. Marshals service is the first agency designated for tracking fugitives. Along with maintaining an office in Mexico, the USMS works closely with law enforcement agencies along the borders of Mexico and Canada and with the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.
An attorney for Holmes didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.