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Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is at present serving a lowered 9-year jail sentence (down from 11 years and three months) after being convicted of fraud and conspiracy in November 2022. Viewers obtained a glimpse into how the disgraced biotechnology entrepreneur ended up in jail by The Dropout. The Hulu miniseries, which premiered in March 2022, stars Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, with Naveen Andrews portraying Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, the person who co-founded the controversial blood-testing tech startup. Whereas Holmes turned the general public face of the scandal – along with her black turtleneck changing into as iconic as Steve Jobs‘ – Balwani has largely stayed out of the highlight.
So, who’s Sunny Balwani? Study extra concerning the man beneath.
Sunny Balwani Is the Co-Founder & Former COO of Theranos
As The New York Occasions famous in Nov. 2021, little or no is understood about Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani in comparison with the documentary and podcast collection primarily based round Elizabeth and her time with Theranos.
“Sunny Balwani is a unprecedented individual,” Jeff Coopersmith, Balwani’s legal professional, advised ABC Information. “He was born in Pakistan to a Hindu household, and ultimately, the household needed to transfer to India as a result of being a Hindu in a largely all-Muslim nation of Pakistan was very tough. When he obtained to the US, he actually kissed the bottom and studied on the College of Texas, the place he obtained a level in laptop science. Every little thing he ever did in his life he obtained by incomes it by extremely onerous work. He was probably the most onerous working individual just about I’ve ever met.”
Sunny Balwani Labored in Tech Earlier than Theranos
Earlier than serving to Holmes launch Theranos – an organization that promised its machines might run customary blood exams on just some drops from a finger prick, per The Guardian – Balwani was already concerned within the tech world. He was a Northern California gross sales supervisor for Microsoft, in accordance with The New York Occasions. In the course of the early dot-com increase, he joined a startup known as CommercBid.com.
CommerceBid constructed platforms that pit suppliers towards one another to drive down prices. It was purchased by Commerce One for $225 million. When the dot-com bubble burst, Balwani made out with a reported $40 million. After going again to high school, he turned the chief working officer at Theranos.
Sunny Balwani Was Additionally Charged With Fraud
In June 2018, Holmes and Balwani had been indicted on federal wire fraud fees over a multi-million greenback scheme to defund buyers, in accordance with CNN. Each pleaded not responsible. In January 2022, a jury discovered Holmes responsible of 4 of 11 fees – one depend of conspiracy to defraud buyers and three counts of wire fraud tied to particular buyers. She’s acquitted on three fees regarding defrauding sufferers and one conspiracy cost. The jury was unable to render a verdict on three of the opposite fees.
Her sentencing was scheduled for September 2022 as a result of Balwani had but to face trial for his involvement. He has additionally been indicted with two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 9 counts of wire fraud.
Balwani’s lawyer argued that his shopper was harmless as a result of he didn’t make any cash throughout his tenure at Theranos.
“In over 28 years of training legislation, as each a federal prosecutor and a protection legal professional, I’ve by no means seen a case like this one, the place the federal government brings a felony prosecution towards a defendant who obtained no monetary profit and misplaced thousands and thousands of {dollars} of his personal cash,” Jeffrey Coopersmith advised Vainness Honest. “Mr. Balwani dedicated no crimes. He didn’t defraud Theranos buyers, who had been among the many most subtle on the planet. He didn’t defraud customers however as a substitute labored tirelessly to empower them with entry to their very own well being info.”
Elizabeth Holmes Accused Sunny Balwani of Abuse
Throughout her testimony, Holmes mentioned she met Balwani the summer time earlier than she began at Stanford, when she was 18 and he was almost twenty years older and married. The 2 started a relationship that continued all through the creation of Theranos. Holmes additionally accused Balwani of sexually assaulting her and being controlling of their relationship, as reported by the Washington Submit. Balwani denied these allegations.
Within the February 2025 interview with PEOPLE, Holmes revealed that she was raped at a university fraternity occasion. She now receives cognitive and behavioral remedy for PTSD, supervised by a psychiatrist, whereas in jail. Moreover, Holmes offers counseling to fellow inmates who’re survivors of rape.
“I want that I left, or I had seen the abuse or understood it — and why I didn’t — and I’m discovering peace with that,” Holmes mentioned to the outlet. “It could break lots of people, and I used to be in a position to rise by it as finest I can.”
Sunny Balwani Was Beforehand Married
Balwani was beforehand married to Japanese artist Keiko Fujimoto. The 2 lived in San Francisco earlier than finalizing their divorce in 2002.
In the event you or anybody you understand has been sexually abused, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A educated workers member will present confidential, judgment-free help in addition to native sources to help in therapeutic, recovering and extra.
