Elizabeth Holmes on Nov. 18 in San Jose, Calif. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes allegedly made an "attempt to flee the country" shortly after being convicted of conspiracy and fraud, prosectors alleged in a court filing Friday, per CNN.
Driving the news: Holmes, who was found guilty on Jan. 3, 2022, for defrauding investors in her failed blood-testing company, had booked a one-way ticket to Mexico for later that month, according to prosecutors.
- "The government became aware on January 23, 2022, that Defendant Holmes booked an international flight to Mexico departing on January 26, 2022, without a scheduled return trip," the court filing obtained by CNN states.
- "Only after the government raised this unauthorized flight with defense counsel was the trip canceled."
Zoom in: Holmes was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison last November but has appealed her conviction.
- Prosecutors argue in the new filing that she should begin to serve her prison sentence instead of living on an estate while her appeal plays out in court.
- In the filing, prosecutors claim Holmes has not shown convincing evidence to indicate that she's not a flight risk, as her attorneys have previously argued, CNN reports.
Of note: At the time, Holmes’ attorney said the flight was planned before the verdict so that she could "attend the wedding of close friends" if there was a different outcome in the case, per Rolling Stone.
What they're saying: "There are not two systems of justice — one for the wealthy and one for the poor — there is one criminal justice system in this country," prosecutors said in the filing.
What's next: Holmes is expected to turn herself into custody on April 27.