Spoiler alert! The following story contains major details about Elizabeth Holmes documentary “You Can See Everything” (now in theaters).
Moviegoers are out for blood.
Lance Oppenheim and Nathan Fielder’s gonzo “You Can See Everything” has become an unlikely box-office phenomenon, selling out more than 2,000 showings during its opening weekend as audiences flock for answers about Elizabeth Holmes. The onetime Silicon Valley wunderkind has been imprisoned since 2023, after defrauding investors out of millions with her blood-testing startup Theranos, whose faulty technology never worked as promised.
But Holmes, 42, isn’t the only one serving time for her role in Theranos. Here’s what you need to know about Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, her ex-boyfriend
and business partner:
Who is Sunny Balwani?
Balwani, 61, is a Pakistani-born businessman who worked for Microsoft in the 1990s, along with software companies Lotus Development and CommerceBid.com. He met Holmes in 2002 during a trip to Beijing while she was participating in a summer Mandarin immersion program through Stanford University.
Holmes started dating Balwani in 2003 and she founded Theranos that same year. He officially joined the company in 2009 as the president and chief operating officer (COO), and remained with the startup until 2018 when it dissolved following federal charges of wire fraud and conspiracy.
He was later portrayed by "Lost" actor Naveen Andrews in the 2022 Hulu miniseries "The Dropout" opposite Amanda Seyfried as Holmes.
What does Elizabeth Holmes say about Sunny Balwani in ‘You Can See Everything’?
Balwani only comes up briefly in conversation with Fielder, as Holmes mentions that they were together for 12 years and he was a very important part of her life. But the film goes further in suggesting that Holmes may be easily taken advantage of by men, drawing a parallel between Balwani and Billy Evans, her highly intense and irritable fiancé since 2018.
Speaking to Fielder during a family visit, Holmes’ father, Christian, accuses Balwani of predatory behavior. Balwani was 37 when he first met an 18-year-old Holmes, and Christian questions what business he had pursuing a soon-to-be college freshman at the time.
Fielder than asks Christian whether he thinks it’s wise for her to be getting into business once again with a romantic partner. (Evans and Holmes are working to build what they refer to as “Theranos 2.0.”) “I trust Billy,” her dad replies, before their chat is cut short by Evans.
What did Elizabeth Holmes accuse Sunny Balwani of?
During her 2021 trial, Holmes testified that Balwani was physically and emotionally abusive throughout their relationship. She alleged that he berated her constantly, dictated her schedule and diet, and kept her away from her family.
"He would get very angry with me,” Holmes alleged on the stand. “Sometimes he would come upstairs and force me to have sex with him when I didn't want to.”
Holmes’ lawyers attempted to paint a picture that Balwani had manipulated and coerced her into swindling Theranos investors. Balwani, meanwhile, denied all accusations of abuse.
When will Sunny Balwani be released from prison?
In 2022, Balwani was convicted on all 12 counts that he was charged with: two counts of conspiracy and 10 counts of wire fraud. He is currently incarcerated in Lompoc, Calif., and is expected to be released in April 2033.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Sunny Balwani, Elizabeth Holmes' ex-boyfriend and Theranos COO?
