Sunny Balwani: Former Theranos executive gets nearly 13 years in prison

Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, the concern spouse of disgraced Theranos laminitis Elizabeth Holmes, has been sentenced to astir 13 years successful prison.

Balwani was convicted successful July of 12 counts of ligament fraud and conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud for his relation successful the failed blood-testing start-up.

Theranos executives falsely claimed the merchandise could diagnose illnesses with a fewer drops of humor from a digit prick.

Holmes was sentenced to implicit 11 years (135 months) successful situation past month.

A justice sentenced Balwani connected Wednesday to 155 months.

Once hailed arsenic the "next Steve Jobs", Holmes was astatine 1 clip said to beryllium the world's youngest self-made billionaire.

She launched Theranos aft dropping retired of Stanford University astatine property 19, and its worth roseate sharply aft the institution claimed it could bring astir a gyration successful illness diagnosis.

Balwani, the company's erstwhile president and main operating officer, served arsenic her second-in-command and had nonstop oversight implicit the company's labs.

Though the 2 were primitively charged together, their trials were separated aft Holmes accused Balwani of affectional and carnal maltreatment during their romanticist relationship, which occurred during their clip astatine Theranos. Balwani has denied those allegations, too.

Theranos' worth skyrocketed aft the institution claimed it could usage a tiny instrumentality to process humor samples, an invention they said would people a gyration successful the healthcare world. Holmes claimed the exertion - called the Edison instrumentality - could diagnose cancer, diabetes and different aesculapian conditions from a digit prick.

The institution raised millions of dollars from high-profile figures including erstwhile US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, media magnate Rupert Murdoch and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

But the exertion did not work, and the institution fell isolated successful 2018. Holmes - present large with her 2nd kid - and Balwani were recovered blameworthy of deceiving investors successful trials this year.

Balwani - who worked arsenic a bundle enforcement earlier Theranos - was besides recovered blameworthy of defrauding patients who utilized the humor tests.

Prosecutors had recommended that the 57-year-old wage $804m (£658m) successful restitution and service a 15-year situation sentence. They argued successful tribunal filings that Balwani was an "equal participant" successful the company's mendacious claims astir its technology.

Balwani's lawyers argued helium did not commencement Theranos and did not person last decision-making powerfulness implicit the company's strategy.

The blood-testing start-up's downfall has been documented successful respective fashionable bid and podcasts arsenic good arsenic a publication by erstwhile Wall Street Journal newsman John Carreyrou, who broke the quality of the ungraded successful 2015.