They would prick the visiting VIP’s finger, insert the blood sample into a cartridge, and place it in the mini-lab, making it appear as though the machine was working. They would then say it would take a little while and suggest the VIP visit the lab. While the guest was out of the room, a Theranos employee would stop the machine, remove the blood, and have it tested by a lab technician or on one of the Siemens machines. These staged demos happened repeatedly with extremely smart people, including a former Secretary of State and Silicon Valley investors whose job it was to be skeptical—yet none of them caught Elizabeth. Likely, it was because she didn’t exhibit the nervousness around lying that most people would.
Do not assume that a calm demeanor means someone is telling the truth, especially if they have narcissistic tendencies. Research shows that psychopaths and sociopaths, when lying, don’t require extra mental effort to suppress the truth or control their body language—these behaviors come naturally to them. This is why compulsive and pathological liars often fool people. Many assume that lying should stress people out because it stresses them, so when they see someone lying without discomfort, they take it as truth.
A better method for detecting lies is to take a “10,000-foot view” of their claims. Rather than focusing on body language or specific explanations, summarize their claims at a high level and use your intuition to judge if they make sense. This approach is how the journalist who exposed Elizabeth Holmes first became suspicious. He noticed something odd: the idea that a 19-year-old college dropout with only two semesters of chemical engineering had pioneered groundbreaking medical science seemed implausible. In fields like medicine, you need formal training and decades of research to contribute meaningfully.
This is an important point. People with traits like those seen in Elizabeth Holmes often trick our logical minds more easily than our gut instincts because they have an explanation for everything. Here’s an example: Holmes’ grandfather went to get a Theranos test and ended up having a needle inserted in his arm, even though the technology was supposed to use a finger prick. When asked about this, Holmes would offer an excuse as to why they needed to take a venous draw for him but not for others, keeping people invested in the lie.
Another red flag is when a person refuses to give up on a lie, even when caught. When most people are exposed, they admit defeat, feel shame, and seek forgiveness. But people who lie compulsively often persist. For example, Billy McFarland, co-founder of Fyre Festival, ran a second scam while out on bail, offering tickets to the Grammys and meet-and-greets with celebrities like LeBron James, despite having no access to these events.
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