Prosecutors seek 15 years in prison for Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in fraud case

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is seeking a 15-year prison sentence in addition to fines against Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes after she was convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy earlier this year.

A court filing from the DOJ asked U.S. District Judge Edward Davila to sentence the former entrepreneur to 180 months in prison and make her pay $800 million in restitution to investors in her now-defunct blood testing company.

“Considering the extensiveness of Holmes’ fraud … the sentencing of 180 months’ imprisonment would reflect the seriousness of the offenses, provide for just punishment for the offenses, and deter Holmes and others,” prosecutors wrote, according to Reuters.

The Hill has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment on the filing.

The filing follows a lengthy request submitted by Holmes’s lawyers on Thursday that she be sentenced to a maximum of 18 months.

Holmes’s defense argues that prison time is unnecessary in part due to the media characterization of the Stanford dropout, who has been “mocked and vilified,” her lawyers wrote, according to The Associated Press.

Davila rejected Holmes’s request on Monday for a new trial based on conflicting statements made by a prosecution witness.

The former CEO was convicted in January of four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy related to her false representation of Theranos technology, particularly tests that were marketed to detect diseases from one drop of blood.

The sentencing hearing for Holmes’s case will take place on Friday, according to the DOJ.