02-17-2021, 02:26 PM
- Elizabeth Holmes is hoping to keep her wealth, spending and lifestyle during her time as CEO of Theranos out of her upcoming trial.
- Defense attorneys said introducing Holmes' evidence of wealth to the jury will invoke "class prejudice."
- Holmes' criminal trial will begin July 13.
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Elizabeth Holmes’ attorneys strongly pushed back against the government’s attempts to detail her extravagant lifestyle before a jury, saying the move “risks invoking class prejudice” that is irrelevant to her criminal case.
Holmes, who is facing a dozen criminal wire fraud charges, earned a salary and benefits commensurate with her position as CEO of Theranos, her attorneys wrote in court documents filed late Tuesday.
The government has argued that Holmes’ high-flying lifestyle was fueled by her fraud.
Her attorneys say that’s simply untrue.
They write the evidence says nothing about her motive, “if it did any CEO could be said to have a motive to commit fraud. Rather the real value of the evidence to the government is to paint a (misleading) picture of Ms. Holmes as a woman who prioritized fashion, a luxurious lifestyle, and fame, and to invite a referendum on startup and corporate culture.”
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