Tyler Shultz Reflects on Elizabeth Holmes Documentary

Tyler Shultz, a former employee at Theranos and one of the key whistleblowers who exposed the fraudulent practices of Elizabeth Holmes’ biotech company, commented on his reaction to the portrayal of Holmes in the documentary “You Can See Everything.” During an appearance on “CBS Mornings,” Shultz expressed his surprise at the version of Holmes presented onscreen.

The Elizabeth that I knew completely commanded a room, even if that room was full of secretaries of state, secretaries of defense, generals, senators. She would own a room, Shultz remarked. He described Holmes as being confident, contrasting sharply with the depiction he saw in the documentary, which he referred to as almost unrecognizable.

Shultz further stated that Holmes misled Nathan Fielder, co-director of the documentary with Lance Oppenheim, when showcasing Theranos’ blood-testing device during the film. He voiced concerns that the device displayed was not the one he worked with extensively and not the one involved in misleading regulators or providing false medical information.

In the documentary, Holmes maintained she had not committed any wrongdoing. This stance persisted even as the film captured her life inside her San Diego rental in 2023, weeks before beginning her 11-year prison sentence. Holmes lived there with her partner, Billy Evans, who appeared prominently in the documentary alongside their two children.

Holmes was convicted in 2022 for defrauding investors by convincing them that Theranos’ technology could perform comprehensive clinical analyses using only small blood samples. The technology promised to revolutionize diagnostics, improving access and reducing costs for vital tests. However, Theranos’ claims were false, leading to Holmes facing intense scrutiny over the deception and the lengths she went to build her business on false promises.

Shultz shared, She knows that she did something wrong, emphasizing her awareness of the deception, as revealed in the complex web of lies he believed Holmes created.

Shultz joined Theranos as an intern in 2013, while his grandfather, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, was on the company’s board. He left Theranos in 2014, subsequently aiding investigations by The Wall Street Journal and regulatory agencies. Shultz also participated in the 2016 HBO documentary “The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley,” chronicling Theranos’ demise.

“You Can See Everything” premiered Friday, earning $15 million at the box office in its opening weekend, marking the second-most profitable debut for a documentary.