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In this country, everyone can pursue goals, dreams and become whatever they want to be. Children watch those who have financial stability. Some individuals have big houses, a married lifestyle with children, and a cute little dog considered part of the American Dream.
Some people become technological innovators, business-orientated professionals, journalists, novelists, doctors, lawyers, teachers, social workers, pharmacists, and other careers. There are many professional opportunities available to citizens of this country. Whatever company or business a person is a part of, being honest in their profession shows integrity and noble character.
However, being deceitful in terms of personal gain for dreams of wealth, success, and lavish lifestyles over clouds one’s judgment. This is the story of Elizabeth Holmes’ pursuit of the American dream.
Holmes was born on Feb. 3, 1984, in Washington D.C. She attended Stanford University in California after graduating from high school. The pursuit of Holmes’ American dream started when she dropped out of college to create the once high-flying biotech company at the young and ambitious age of 19. To launch her health technology company, Theranos, she sought numerous investors.
Among those were lost large sums of money were media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former Secretary of Education Betsy Devos, and Walmart’s Walton family. “In all, Holmes, a skilled and charismatic pitchwoman, raised nearly $1 billion from investors based on a mountain of lies and coverups,” according to Bobby Allyn for NPR.
This ambitious lady dazzled Silicon Valley at the age of 19 with the creation of Theranos. It was the promise of a finger prick of blood device that could be scanned for hundreds of diseases and illnesses that caused well-known individuals such as former President Bill Clinton, Mexican billionaire Carlos Slims, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to believe her technology.
“In 2014, blood-testing startup Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, were on top of the world. Back then, Theranos was a revolutionary idea thought up by a woman hailed as a genius who styled herself as a female Steve Jobs,” according to Business Insider. As things rolled into play for this ambitious CEO, her Theranos machines were in stores such as Walgreens in California and Arizona. Unfortunately, the device gave patients and clients false negatives and flawed results. A patient whose pregnancy turned out to be viable testified that the Theranos machines caused her to believe she had a miscarriage. “Another patient thought her cancer had returned when it had not, following a test,” according to NPR.
On Monday, a jury found the former CEO guilty of 4 counts of fraud involving millions of dollars from several investors while Holmes was in Pursuit of the American Dream. The charismatic entrepreneur committed wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving lying to investors about the promising devices developed by Theranos. The ambitious entrepreneur sentencing date has not been set.
Legal experts say she could face a maximum of 20 years in prison, but she will likely be sentenced to a lesser punishment. When one tries to pursue our American Dreams, everyone should remember that being honest and having integrity is key characteristic for our future endeavors.
Written by Lionel Carter
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
NPR: Elizabeth Holmes verdict: Former Theranos CEO is found guilty on 4 counts; by Bobby Allyn
Business Insider: The rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes, the Theranos founder who is now on trial for fraud; by Avery Hartmans, Paige Leskin, and Sarah Jackson
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Fortune Global Forum Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Christian Rondeau Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
