Insights from Whistleblower Tyler Shultz on the New Documentary

Tyler Shultz, a former employee at Theranos, shared his thoughts on the depiction of Elizabeth Holmes in the documentary ‘You Can See Everything.’ Known for his pivotal role in exposing Theranos’ fraudulent activities, Shultz expressed surprise at the portrayal of Holmes.

During his appearance on ‘CBS Mornings,’ Shultz reflected on his experiences with Holmes. He described her as a confident figure who commanded the attention of influential individuals. The contrast between his memories and the documentary’s portrayal left Shultz in disbelief. He commented that the onscreen version seemed like a broken woman, which starkly differed from the Elizabeth Holmes he remembered.

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. She had so much confidence.

Shultz also critiqued a specific scene where Holmes presented Theranos’ blood-testing device. He asserted that the device shown was not the one used during his time at the company. He recounted that the original device did not meet quality controls and misled patients. According to Shultz, Holmes misled the documentary’s director, Nathan Fielder, offering an inaccurate portrayal of the device.

But my problem was: that was not the device that I worked with 12 hours a day. That was not the device that we hid from regulators. That was not the device that failed quality controls. That was not the device that we used to knowingly give patients incorrect medical information.

Holmes Stance on Theranos Scandal

The documentary provides a glimpse into Holmes’ life before her prison sentence. Holmes maintained her stance of no wrongdoing despite her conviction for defrauding Theranos’ investors. In 2023, she lived with her partner, Billy Evans, and their two children. The documentary highlights her continued denial of any deceit in the Theranos scandal.

Theranos claimed it could perform clinical tests using small blood samples, a promise that captivated investors and the public. When the company’s technology was found fraudulent, Holmes’ reputation as a Silicon Valley visionary turned into public scrutiny. Many were left questioning how she deceived so many individuals and institutions.

Shultz remarked on Holmes’ awareness of her actions. He believes she constructed a web of falsehoods, despite knowing she was deceiving others.

She knows that she did something wrong. She knows that she was lying, because she created this whole web of lies that you would not have needed to create if you actually believed the lies.

Shultz’s Early Involvement with Theranos

Tyler Shultz joined Theranos as an intern in 2013, with connections through his grandfather, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz. He departed from the company in 2014 and contributed to investigations led by The Wall Street Journal and regulatory agencies.

Shultz also appeared in the 2016 HBO documentary ‘The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley,’ which examined Theranos’ collapse.

‘You Can See Everything’ premiered last Friday, garnering $15 million in its opening weekend, marking significant earnings for a documentary.