Holmes' former partner faces sentencing in Theranos case

A former Theranos executive learns Wednesday whether he will be punished as severely as his former lover and business partner for peddling the company's bogus blood-testing technology that duped investors and endangered patients.

The sentencing for Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, who was convicted in July of fraud and conspiracy, comes less than three weeks after Elizabeth Holmes, the company's founder and CEO, received more than 11 years in prison for her role in the scheme. The scandal revolved around the company’s false claims to have developed a medical device that could scan for hundreds of diseases and other potential problems with just a few drops of blood taken with a finger prick.

The case threw a bright light on Silicon Valley’s dark side, exposing how its culture of hype and boundless ambition could veer into lies.

Holmes, 38, could have gotten up to 20 years in prison — a penalty that U.S. District Judge Edward Davila could now impose on Balwani, who spent six years as Theranos' chief operating officer while remaining romantically involved with Holmes until a bitter split in 2016.

While on the witness stand in her trial, Holmes accused Balwani, 57, of manipulating her through years of emotional and sexual abuse. Balwani's attorney has denied the allegations.

The two trials had somewhat different outcomes. Unlike Balwani, Holmes was acquitted on several charges of defrauding and conspiring against people who paid for Theranos blood tests that produced misleading results and could have pointed patients toward the wrong treatment. The jury in Holmes’ trial also deadlocked on three charges.

Balwani was convicted on all 12 felony counts, and his lawyers contend he deserves a far more lenient sentence of just four to 10 months in prison, preferably in home confinement....