[ethbro]

If things working out better are predicated on rising tech stars admitting they're wrong and forgoing the accolades and adulation that accompany the identifier... I can see why things went the way they did.

That said, from a personal perspective, I honestly hope Ms. Holmes is either a sociopath or was actually in the dark about how bad things were (e.g. her direct reports were lying to her).

It seems like it would be a pretty excruciating mental burden to go into work every day for an extended period of time, knowing your company was inevitably failing, and just trying to keep the plates spinning. Ugh.

[tinymollusk]

Madoff said he is happier in prison than he was while fearing his scheme would be discovered. [0]

That doesn't really make me any more sympathetic to his criminal and unethical activities.

[0] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-madoff-happiest-ive-been...

[Sangermaine]

Yeah, committing fraud is pretty nerve-wracking. Won't anyone think of the con men?

[ethbro]

Let's not assume the VCs weren't somewhat complicit here. At best through lack of due diligence and thereby messaging their ongoing support for the enterprise.

At worst active or passive concealment because they had a large financial incentive that the fraud remain undiscovered.

Given that Theranos didn't IPO, I have a hard time feeling bad for investors (hopefully) taking a loss on this one.