“Fudge It”: Personal Notes Of Elizabeth Holmes Revealed At Trial

In what is the first of what we’re sure will be numerous totally normal revelations from the Elizabeth Holmes trial, it was revealed yesterday that the disgraced CEO wrote herself notes idolizing Apple’s Steve Jobs. 

On April 2, 2015, for example, Holmes wrote a journal entry called “Becoming Steve Jobs,” according to the Daily Mail, who described the note as “more than a dozen pages of stream-of-conscious like contemporaneous notes”.

Holmes, well known for adopting the black turtleneck fashion style that Jobs popularized, also kept a framed photo of the former Apple CEO in her office, the report says.

“You’d have to look really hard not to see Steve Jobs in Elizabeth Holmes,” Inc. magazine wrote of Holmes in October of that year. 

All the while Holmes was writing notes to herself about how to escape the scrutiny placed on her company after a series of Wall Street Journal investigative reports were published.

She wrote in one journal entry: “Weak accusations – endorses everything – happened – if – true – raise doubt – want – board looks into it – finds nothing to any of it – looked into it – have not looked at it independently.”

“Haven’t addressed – doesn’t shake my confidence – my business judgement – no reason – this announcement – know a month from now – business judgement correct at the time. Never for sure,” she wrote in another.

“Put out statement. Faith – Elizabeth, co. Point by point refutation statements,” another note said. “Fearless transparent nothing to hide”.

In another note rife with sentence fragments and half-thoughts, she wrote: “Board statement – independent look at accusations by board – making statements – no independent opinion. Unwise board – enter – without judgement –  Strategic mistake – WSJ – impression – fight – number accusations – made”.

Her only reference to her alleged co-conspirator and lover, Sunny Balwani, said: “Balwani – stopped submitting Edison – off others”.

Other notes revolved around her appearances in the media: “Certain platforms – so fabulous – regular people… (Cramer) – Sorkin – mad man – tough”. 

“Very productive – CBS this morning producers, interview on Friday,” she wrote in another note. 

In notes that appear to be about her overarching vision for Theranos, she jotted down: “Started – vision – change world. Access to healthcare. Bring down cost. Up efficiency. Min pain…” and “Fudge it – if don’t understand – want clarified – stop – explore – reserve done – may get to it”.

Holmes is currently in the midst of trial for both fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud.