Elizabeth Holmes trial: cross-examination of former Theranos CEO begins

Leach asked Holmes about her responses to reporting in the Wall Street Journal by John Carreyrou, which first revealed cracks in the shiny facade of the company, which had for years been a Silicon Valley darling.

Holmes expressed regret at her responses to the Theranos reporting as well as to whistleblowers like Erika Cheung, a former employee who previously testified during the trial that she was fired for raising issues with Theranos tests.

Tuesday marked the first day of cross-examination for Holmes. On Monday, she had tearfully alleged she was emotionally and physically abused by her former lover and business partner, Sunny Balwani. Balwani, who faces his own fraud trial in 2022, has strongly denied these accusations.

In previous testimony she also addressed the bombshell evidence introduced by the prosecution that she intentionally doctored documents to include logos of major pharmaceutical companies, which corporate partners took to mean they had endorsed Theranos technology.

Witnesses also said many blood tests were being carried out by external labs rather than on Theranos devices.