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The Dropout

ABC News

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. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Dropout podcast from ABC News explains the epic rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes. The Stanford University dropout promised to revolutionize healthcare and blood testing. Her startup company Theranos made her the youngest self-made female billionaire in history. That was until an informant caused her world and credibility to implode.

Once hailed as the next great genius of her time, Elizabeth Holmes deceived some of the greatest minds in business and science. The depth of deception behind Theranos is unbelievable. But how did she do it? The Dropout podcast is a journey of stunning discovery. Listeners get all the details of one of the biggest scandals in Silicon Valley history.

The Dropout podcast explores Holmes' life and deceits like never before. It starts with charmed beginnings and ends after the verdict of her scandalous trial. Hosted by Rebecca Jarvis, the podcast includes exclusive interviews. The insights from those who were there will enthrall listeners. Guests include former employees of Theranos. Trial jurors also appear on the podcast. The series also explores the involvement of Theranos President and COO Sunny Balwani.

The Dropout podcast is the ultimate story of wild ambition and the corruption of power. Its format and production make this podcast compelling for true crime fans. The show also features a deposition Holmes gave that many listeners have not heard before. Top investigative journalism only adds to the astounding content.

It almost all sounds like a Hollywood movie. So it wasn't surprising when Hulu filmed a miniseries based on this show. Amanda Seyfried portrayed Holmes for Hulu. She talks about the experience in a podcast episode.

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