- Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of Theranos, is set to begin her 11-year prison sentence at the Bryan prison camp in Texas
- The prison is located around 100 miles northwest of Houston, primarily houses non-violent female offenders convicted of white-collar crimes
- Holmes’s arrival mark the end of a tumultuous chapter in Silicon Valley’s history which saw her defrauding investors of $700million in funds
By JAMES GORDON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is expected to begin her 11-year sentence at Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas on Tuesday – and it appears she will already be well known among some of her fellow inmates.
A former inmate who was released in March recalled seeing a copy of the book ‘Bad Blood’ in the prison library, which details Holmes’ rise and fall.
‘Some people are like ‘I want to be her friend,’ said Tasha Wade a current inmate at the prison.
‘Others are like, ‘I can’t believe that’s all she got for taking all that money,” Wade added.
Another inmate said when Holmes reports for prison, she will face life inside lock up that is a lot like popular reality TV.
Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of Theranos, is set to begin her 11-year prison sentence at the Bryan prison camp in Texas
The grounds of FPC Bryan where Holmes may exercise and even take fork-lift training lessons. Business classes are also on offer at the facility
A former inmate who was released in March recalled seeing a copy of the book Bad Blood’ in the prison library. The book charts the rise and fall of Theranos
‘The girls are sweet, some of the guards were nice, some were mean,’ former inmate Jenna Ryan said.
‘It is like a `Survivor’ episode; you have to make alliances, you have to play your cards right.’
Holmes will spend more than a decade behind bars for her conviction after defrauding investors out of more than $700 million for her sham blood-testing company. She is appealing the verdict.
Current and former inmates recently spoke to Wall Street Journal about what life will be like for Holmes as she reports to prison.
The Bryan camp is located about 100 miles northwest of Houston, her childhood home.
The prison currently houses 655 mostly non-violent female offenders who have committed white-collar crimes, low-level drug offenses and immigration-related offenses in a minimum-security facility.
Ryan, who was jailed for her participation in the Capitol siege but who has since been released, said the prison was a mixed experience.
She said she was in COVID quarantine for her entire sentence, which limited her exposure.
Jen Shah, a star of Bravo’s ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ is serving time in Bryan prison for her role in a telemarketing scam.
She declined to talk to the Journal but noted in journal entries from inside and posted online that ‘there are not that many kind people in this place.’
Inside the minimum security FPC Bryan, prisoners sleep in four-person rooms in a dorm-style set-up with bunk beds and without any doors, rather than cells
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All-women’s prison mostly houses non-violent offenders serving time for white collar crimes
Judge Edward Davila recommended Holmes be placed at the Bryan camp to make family visits easier as she grew up in Houston, although the Bureau of Prisons has not publicly disclosed where she will be held.
Holmes had been living in the San Diego area while free on bail with her 22-month-old son William and her infant daughter Invicta.
Her children can visit her on weekends and holidays, with kids under 10 allowed to sit on their parents’ laps.
The Bryan camp’s visiting room even has a play area for children.
The father of both children is William ‘Billy’ Evans, whom she met after breaking up with her former romantic and business partner, Ramesh ‘Sunny’ Balwani, 57.
Her ex began serving a nearly 13-year prison sentence last month in Southern California after being convicted of 12 felony counts of fraud and conspiracy committed while he was Theranos’ chief operating officer and living with Holmes.
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Holmes will report to prison to start serving her 11-year sentence on Tuesday, leaving her two children behind
Holmes is pictured with her then-fiancé (now husband) the hotel heir Billy Evans, who will be allowed to visit with the couple’s children
The ‘Club Fed’ prison – a nickname given to some federal facilities – is a minimum security holding center. When inmates arrive at the Bryan prison Camp, they are usually subjected to a search before being escorted to the laundry room to receive their khaki uniforms.
New inmates normally spend their first three months working in the kitchen, which is considered one of the most demanding jobs in the prison. The job pays 12 cents an hour.
Various other roles exist such as groundskeepers, clerks and telemarketers in the call center all operated by the Bureau of Prisons.
All inmates, who are counted in a roll-call five times a day, are expected to work in jobs that pay between 12 cents and $1.15 an hour in roles that include serving food and factory work.
Some inmates get to train Labrador puppies for service as therapy dogs, and there are even limited amenities, including outdoor televisions, a jogging track and a hair salon, according to the report.
Inmates can take on educational opportunities at Blinn College, which offers certificate programs in business management and accounting.
If taking a business class is not to her liking, there are alternatives, including fork-lift training or language classes.
