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The Dropout

Author: ABC News

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Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? How did the woman once heralded as “the next Steve Jobs” find herself facing criminal charges — to which she pleaded not guilty — and up to decades in prison? How did her technology, meant to revolutionize health care, potentially put millions of patients at risk? And how did so many smart people get it so wrong along the way? ABC News chief business, technology and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis, along with producers Taylor Dunn and Victoria Thompson, take listeners on a journey that includes a multi-year investigation. You'll hear exclusive interviews with former employees, investors, and patients, and for the first-time, the never-before-aired deposition testimony of Elizabeth Holmes, and those at the center of this story. Then, go inside the courtroom as 12 jurors decide the fate of the Theranos founder; three years after she was first charged, we find out how this saga finally ends.

38 Episodes
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For decades, Black baseball players were excluded from the major leagues and forced to create their own space: the Negro Leagues. In the new season of ABC Audio's award-winning podcast "Reclaimed," Vanessa Ivy Rose, granddaughter of Negro Leagues star Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, brings us on a quest to excavate his story and those of other Black players who were shut out of the majors, a legacy that still haunts the sport. Check out "Reclaimed: The Forgotten League" on Apple Podcasts (https://tinyurl.com/27krwnxr), Spotify (https://tinyurl.com/mvejpt2t), Amazon Music (https://tinyurl.com/mrxxfkmu), or wherever you're listening now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In June 1962, a woman opens the door to a stranger. What happens next will shock the country and haunt the streets of Boston for years to come. Sixty years later, the story of the Boston Strangler still has a hold on the public imagination. The new ABC Audio podcast, "Truth and Lies: The Boston Strangler," retraces the tragic fate of the victims and explores why a killer’s confession never closed this decades-old case. "Truth and Lies: The Boston Strangler" -- a new three-part series, available on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3wgRdzb), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3XFQm6X), Amazon Music (https://amzn.to/3ksWvFj), or wherever you're listening now. And check out “Boston Strangler,” starring Keira Knightley, streaming now on Hulu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sixty years later, the story of the Boston Strangler still has a hold on the public imagination. The new ABC Audio podcast, "Truth and Lies: The Boston Strangler," retraces the tragic fate of the victims and explores why a killer’s confession never closed this decades-old case. "Truth and Lies: The Boston Strangler" -- a new three-part series, available on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3wgRdzb), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3XFQm6X), Amazon Music (https://amzn.to/3ksWvFj), or wherever you're listening now. And check out “Boston Strangler,” starring Keira Knightley, streaming now on Hulu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today we bring you Ep. 1 of "Truth and Lies: The Informant," a new five-part series from ABC Audio that tells the remarkable story of an ordinary man who risked his life as an FBI informant to stop what would've been one of the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history. Follow along and listen to the next episode right now on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3wgRdzb), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3XFQm6X), Amazon Music (https://amzn.to/3ksWvFj), or your app of choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Check out "Truth and Lies: The Informant" from our colleagues at ABC Audio, a remarkable story of an ordinary man who risked his life as an FBI informant to stop what would've been one of the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history. A new five-part series, available on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3wgRdzb), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3XFQm6X), Amazon Music (https://amzn.to/3ksWvFj), or wherever you're listening now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It began as a weekend of football, parties, late-night food and good friends -- a normal Saturday night in the college town of Moscow, Idaho. But Sunday morning, four University of Idaho students are found stabbed to death in their beds. Through friends, witnesses, video surveillance and social media footage, we get to know who the victims were and reconstruct their final hours. Presenting the first episode of the new true-crime podcast "The King Road Killings: An Idaho Murder Mystery," a series that goes behind the scenes of the investigation into the savage murders of four University of Idaho students -- a case that captivated and horrified the nation in the winter of 2022. Find new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts (https://tinyurl.com/2p8tbm6r), Spotify (https://tinyurl.com/yc2wj534), Amazon Music (https://tinyurl.com/3akehrhk) or wherever you're listening now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Follow the new true crime podcast from ABC News, "The King Road Killings: An Idaho Murder Mystery," to hear the full five-part series, debuting June 7 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and other major podcast platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bonus: Sentenced

Bonus: Sentenced

2022-11-1908:294

In a special bonus episode of "The Dropout: Elizabeth Holmes on Trial," we break down what happened during Holmes' sentencing hearing and what is next for the once-lauded Theranos founder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amanda Seyfried, the lead actress of Hulu’s “The Dropout” and the show’s creator and showrunner Liz Meriwether join host Rebecca Jarvis for a wide-ranging conversation about the making of the Hulu limited series based on the ABC News podcast. Seyfried has been nominated for an Emmy in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes, one of six nominations for the Hulu series this year.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rebecca Jarvis sits down with Brad Mielke, host of ABC News’ “Start Here” podcast to talk about the conviction of former Theranos president Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani. Follow “Start Here” on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/2maaMIF), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3nNbcBC), or wherever you listen to get the day’s top headlines every morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The new Hulu limited series based on this podcast and starring Oscar-nominee Amanda Seyfried as Elizabeth Holmes is out now. And in case you missed 20/20’s behind-the-scenes look at the show, we wanted to drop it in this feed, so you can listen now. You’ll hear from the stars of the Hulu series and a member of the jury that convicted Elizabeth. And be sure to follow the 20/20 podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening now for more true crime stories from ABC News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Verdict

The Verdict

2022-01-0546:1622

Three years after Elizabeth Holmes was charged with 11 counts of fraud, the verdict we’ve all been waiting for is finally in. After seven days and over 50 hours of deliberation, the 12 members of the jury -- one of whom gave us details that you’ll hear for the first time on this podcast -- found Holmes guilty on four counts. They were hung on an additional three. How did they reach these conclusions? And what happens next? What will affect Elizabeth’s sentencing, and how will the appeal process work in this case? Finally, what will the ripple effects be for Silicon Valley?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Closing Arguments

Closing Arguments

2021-12-2101:14:3426

More than three months, 32 witnesses and three juror dismissals after the criminal trial of Elizabeth Holmes began, attorneys for the prosecution and defense had the chance to make their final appeals with closing arguments. Who presented the most compelling case? What resonated most with the eight men and four women of the jury? Whatever the case, the fate of Elizabeth Holmes could be days away from being decided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Defense Rests

The Defense Rests

2021-12-1455:5920

The testimony of Elizabeth Holmes continues this week, finally concluding after seven days. And in a surprising move, the defense calls no further witnesses, resting its case. So after three months and dozens of witnesses, who came out on top? Will the defense strategy pay off? Soon, both sides will have one last shot to make a case in closing arguments before 12 jurors decide the fate of Elizabeth Holmes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Accusations and Evasions

Accusations and Evasions

2021-12-0701:13:2024

This week, the most jaw-dropping testimony in this trial yet. Elizabeth Holmes fights back tears telling the court she was raped when she was at Stanford and claims she was in an emotional and physically abusive relationship with her former boyfriend and Theranos COO Sunny Balwani, who firmly denies all allegations. Plus, the government begins its cross-examination, and while Elizabeth Holmes seemed to be able to recall her life in vivid detail throughout the defense’s questioning, her memories suddenly got more hazy, even non-existent, at times. Will the jury be thrown by the sudden evasiveness? And ultimately, will charges of abuse negate the allegations of fraud?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Reframing the Narrative

Reframing the Narrative

2021-11-3050:5721

This week, Elizabeth Holmes returns to the stand, presenting herself as a confident CEO with a noble mission who also naively took experts at their word. She meticulously details how she built her business -- even admitting to having doctored those pharmaceutical documents -- but implies over and over again that she relied on information given to her by scientists, doctors and board members to solidify her understanding of where her company stood. Will it be enough to convince a jury that she had no intent to defraud investors? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In a monumental week in the trial of United States v. Elizabeth A. Holmes, the prosecution introduced its final week of witnesses before resting its case. Among them, a patient who received troubling results from a Theranos HIV test and a journalist whose damaging interviews with Elizabeth were played for the first time in court. And in a literal final-hour shocker, the defense called Elizabeth Holmes to the stand. Did the government bring its case home? Did Elizabeth begin to sway the jury? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Beginning of the End

The Beginning of the End

2021-11-1644:2032

In this episode, we hear from two Theranos lab directors -- one who never met Elizabeth or stepped foot into the company’s lab, another who ultimately voided more than 50,000 Theranos tests after a damning government inspection. And we hear from an irate investor who says Elizabeth Holmes cut off communication with him when he asked for basic information about the company. Plus, 10 weeks into the trial, with only 24 witnesses out of a possible 181 on the government’s initial list having taken the stand, we hear a surprising update from prosecutor Jeffrey Schenk: This week might be the prosecution’s last before it rests its case.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Patterns

Patterns

2021-11-0938:4827

Nine weeks into the criminal trial of Elizabeth Holmes, we’ve heard from dozens of witnesses -- Elizabeth’s colleagues, board members, investors, clients, scientists, accountants and corporate executives. It's impossible not to feel the repetition. We learn that a fake Pfizer memo wasn’t the only document Theranos falsified, and we’re introduced to a man with deep connections to many of the central players in Elizabeth’s orbit. Patterns in the prosecution’s questioning are beginning to become clear, and experts show us it’s all part of a greater plan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Investors

The Investors

2021-11-0242:5722

This week, we hear from high-profile companies and individuals who invested millions of dollars into Theranos, the prosecution reiterating that these investments were made on the basis of what they say was a pattern of misinformation, exaggeration and outright lies coming from Elizabeth Holmes herself. And we hear from a Pfizer scientist who speaks to the supposedly doctored Pfizer document that Theranos showed investors to help lure them in.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Comments (212)

No Name

is there gonna be an update on the sentences?????

Nov 18th
Reply

Irene Wood

Why the music all the time? So annoying.

Jun 9th
Reply

lil john

Funny how everything she does,she just bites other ppl styles..nothing original coming from her..what happen to being creative and unique..smh..

Apr 3rd
Reply

Shima Jadidi

A very awesome blog post. We are really grateful for your blog post. You will find a lot of approaches after visiting your post. I was exactly searching for.Thanks for such post and please keep it up. https://www.crediblebh.online/

Mar 31st
Reply

Lesli Nelson

I liked the first episode, but I think she just wanted the credit for everything.

Mar 8th
Reply

Charlotte Lomax

This podcast has been an absolute credit to ABC News. I feel slightly bereft now that it is finished. Please come back soon.

Jan 29th
Reply

Ian Morris

Terrific series. Many congratulations to everyone involved. A complex story very well told.

Jan 27th
Reply

anonymous777

The volume is inconsistent, is it intentional?

Jan 18th
Reply

Free Palestine

I haven't been so invested in a podcast in at least 5 years. Please notify me when the creators find a new topic to cover. it was well researched and written

Jan 15th
Reply

Dianna W

I knew she would testify because she's a narcissist. i hope she gets what she deserves

Jan 13th
Reply

BusyBee

Everyone episode executed excellently. Well done!

Jan 13th
Reply

Dianna W

her reason for excluding unvaccinated people... that they would not trust the prosecution is a silly conclusion.

Jan 11th
Reply

Curious

This podcast is so good! I just listened to three episodes in a row. This story is mind blowing. And I like how the information is presented.

Jan 8th
Reply

Stephanie Womack

yesssss, I was up at 240 AM when this dropped. I checked all day!!! Thank you! 👍 Great!

Jan 5th
Reply

Rene Romero

Rebecca you have done a amazing job doing this podcast, I hope is not the last

Jan 4th
Reply (1)

Gloria G

Guilty! regardless of the verdict. it pisses me off that the defense minimized the 3 patient errors. 1 is way too many!

Dec 29th
Reply

Maurin Phillips

seriously...this scam artist needs to be locked up. no sympathy at all, no matter what she says.

Dec 20th
Reply

Joan Heelan

Best podcast of 2021. Well done all involved

Dec 15th
Reply

K C

So is she gonna be convicted? I'm cynical.

Dec 10th
Reply

Staci BAMS

Anyone in healthcare, you know like actual workers not millionaire investors, know Holmes is full of shit. Convict her lying ass. The investors already lost their asses, sorry not sorry.

Nov 26th
Reply
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