How Many Years Could Elizabeth Holmes Face in Prison? Decades, in Theory

Elizabeth Holmes’s potential prison term for defrauding investors, like her company’s blood-testing technology, will likely fall short of what is advertised, according to an analysis of federal data by a sentencing consultant.

The Theranos Inc. founder was convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges that could trigger up to 80 years in prison by statute. U.S. sentencing guidelines, which judges must consider, recommend the equivalent of life in prison for offenders found guilty of fraud conspiracies as large as Ms. Holmes’s, based on the amount she raised from investors during the scheme.