What Elizabeth Holmes' Life In Prison Is Really Like

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes supposedly had a second baby to stay out of prison, but her kids weren't her tickets to freedom. On May 30, 2023, Holmes started her decade-plus sentence for willingly defrauding investors with her controversial medical company, Theranos. Prior to her sentencing, there was much interest in what Holmes' life in prison would look like, including her daily routine, social interactions with other inmates, and even her job. On the day of her incarceration, AP News reported that Holmes was in custody at FPC Bryan, a minimum-security women's prison camp located in Bryan, Texas. One of around 650 other female inmates, Holmes would likely have the opportunity to take on a prison job that paid, at maximum, $1.15 an hour. Roughly 21 months into her lengthy prison sentence, Holmes has spoken out about her experiences — and, unsurprisingly, it hasn't been pleasant.

Holmes told People that the toughest reality she's had to bear so far is the limited interactions with her small children. Holmes cherishes their weekly visits, but saying goodbye "shatters my world every single time." She continued, "The people I love the most have to walk away as I stand here, a prisoner, and my reality sinks in." Despite her imprisonment, she was at least able to pump breast milk for her youngest, a daughter named Invicta, while in federal custody. "I wanted my daughter to have her mother's milk," shared the former mogul. "It was important to me because it was a way to love her in here." Oh, and for those people who've accused her of using her motherhood status as a get-out-of-jail-free card, Holmes claimed otherwise. "I always wanted to be a mother," she said. "I truly did not think I would ever be convicted or found guilty."

Unfortunately, this was just the start of Holmes' issues in prison.

Elizabeth Holmes' days largely start the same, with her waking around 5 a.m. before enjoying a lengthy workout. Then, she clocks in as a reentry clerk for other inmates, making a pitiful sum of 31 cents an hour. "So many of these women don't have anyone, and once they're in there, they're forgotten," Holmes said of the women she counsels. And though she's attempted to retain some normalcy by sticking to a mostly vegan diet and working through a collection of popular books, including "Harry Potter," she doesn't feel that she  — or anyone –  belongs in prison. "Human beings are not made to be in cells," she shared during the interview. "It goes so far beyond understanding. I'm trying really hard not to tear up right now. I'm trying to grow, as every moment matters. And if one person's life can be touched trying to help them in a crisis, it matters."

Although not mentioned in her recent interview, People reported in September 2023 that Holmes had found an unlikely ally in reality star Jen Shah, who is serving prison time in the Texas facility. "They're friends. They're both rehabilitating and have bonded over being on this journey of positive change," shared Shah's rep, Chris Giovanni, with the publication. "Their situations brought them together, and they have a good understanding of one another. They're getting through it together." Giovanni also revealed that the women bonded over Holmes' baby and that Shah had gotten to hold her. In addition to that, Holmes had also taken advantage of Shah's prison workout class, which seemed to be popular with the inmates. "Jen gets all the ladies together and they rally behind her while she teaches them fitness moves, and Elizabeth has been there right along with them," he added.

With that said, it's unknown if they've sustained their friendship.