Elizabeth Holmes’ trial to dissect downfall of a tech star

Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, arrives at the federal courthouse for jury selection in her trial, on Aug 31, 2021, in San Jose, California. Holmes faces 12 felony counts alleging she engineered a massive fraud that duped a litany of rich investors with a blood-testing technology that she promised would be able to screen for hundreds of diseases with a finger prick. — AP

Just six years ago, Elizabeth Holmes seemed destined to fulfill her dream of becoming Silicon Valley’s next superstar. She was the subject of business magazine cover stories describing her as the youngest self-made female billionaire in history, former US President Bill Clinton was reverently quizzing her about her thoughts on technology, and then Vice President Joe Biden was hailing her ideas as an inspiration.

Now Holmes is about to head into a San Jose, California, courtroom to defend herself against criminal allegations depicting her as the devious mastermind of a fraud that duped wealthy investors, former US government officials and patients whose lives were endangered by a blood-testing technology that never came close to fulfilling her bold promises.