In 2003, Stanford University student Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos, a tech company that promised to revolutionize the healthcare industry through a device that could immediately deliver an array of diagnoses through a simple finger prick. But the revolution was all smoke and mirrors.

Theranos failed to produce a viable working product, deceiving investors, regulators, and partners for years, until collapsing in a sea of lawsuits and federal charges in 2018. Holmes was found guilty on four counts of defrauding investors in January 2022 and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Investigations revealed the truth behind the sham, uncovering the utilization of dangerous health practices and misleading data, but the big question remains: How did Holmes keep the charade going for so many years?

Holmes’s mission inspired powerful backers

The company’s stated intent was a noble one.…