In January 2022 Elizabeth Holmes was convicted on 4 counts of defrauding investors in Theranos, her biotech startup that was only lacking in the bio and tech factors. It wasn’t until November of last year that Holmes had her sentencing–11 years and 3 months–but she didn’t have to report to prison until after she had given birth to her second child (with hotel heir Billy Evans). Invicta Evans arrived at the beginning of this year, and Holmes lost a bid to remain home on bail until the appeals process played out (a bid that wasn’t helped by her buying a one-way ticket to Mexico). So finally, on May 30 Holmes turned herself in at Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Southern Texas. That was exactly 6 weeks ago, and yesterday it emerged that her sentence has already been reduced by 2 years, per online records from the Federal Bureau of Prisons:

Convicted ex-Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is now scheduled for early release, online records show.

In November 2022, the California former biotechnology entrepreneur was sentenced to 11 years and three months for defrauding investors in the failed Silicon Valley startup that sought to revolutionize blood testing.

On Tuesday, Federal Bureau of Prisons records showed Holmes sentence was reduced to nine years with a scheduled release date of Dec. 23, 2032–meaning she will be released two years early.

Holmes, 39, reported to a minimum-security, federal women’s prison camp located in Bryan, Texas, on May 30.

A spokesperson for the federal agency confirmed the reduction to USA TODAY on Tuesday but said they could not provide additional details about Holmes’ slated early release citing “privacy, safety, and security reasons.”

According to a statement from the federal agency, some inmates are eligible for release early via court orders such as a compassionate release due to old age and medical conditions or clemency.

Inmates can also have their sentences reduced for good conduct, including completing job assignments and completing substance abuse program courses, the Bureau of Prisons said in a statement.

Gained time can also be revoked over disciplinary concerns or other infractions, the agency said.

[From USA Today]

How on earth did she finagle this? What possible “good conduct” could she have performed in just 6 weeks that merited already shaving off 2 years? I understand the Bureau citing security concerns for why they can’t comment further, at least right now. But I can’t imagine that will stand for long, not with the high profile of her case. The only other Holmes news I’m aware of since she reported to prison was about a month ago her lawyers argued that she couldn’t afford the other part of her sentence–to pay $250 a month to the victims she scammed. It’s a tasteless argument from someone whose partner is the heir to a 70-year-old, multiple property hotel business in Southern California, and besides I don’t see how that could relate to the reduced time. But what do I know? All I can do is report (and judge and cast aspersions on) what I see, and between this and NXIVM’s Allison Mack being released a year early from her sentence just last week, I think we can all see clearly that justice is not (color) blind in this country.

Lastly, for my fellow nerds who remember by heart their fourth grade multiplication tables: 6 weeks is 42 days. Elizabeth Holmes got her sentence reduced by 2 years after serving in prison for less time than Liz Truss was Prime Minister of the UK.

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