Elizabeth Holmes Final Appeal Denied
Updated: May 8–9, 2025
A federal appeals court has unanimously denied former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes’s final effort to redo her criminal appeal in the high‑profile fraud case involving her defunct blood-testing startup.
Appeals Court Decision
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel affirmed its earlier ruling upholding Holmes’s conviction, rejecting her petition for rehearing and for a full en banc review. The order, issued in a brief four‑sentence decision, leaves no judges requesting additional review.
Holmes now faces extremely limited legal options; her remaining path would be a petition for certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is rarely granted.
Background: Theranos and the Conviction
Holmes was convicted in January 2022 on four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy for misrepresenting Theranos’s blood‑testing technology to investors. She was later sentenced to more than 11 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution.
Her conviction was previously upheld by the appeals court in February 2025 before this latest rehearing denial.
Holmes’s Reaction and Next Steps
After earlier appeal denials, Holmes maintained her innocence and vowed to continue fighting her conviction while serving her sentence, according to interviews following her appeal loss.
