The Dropout

About The Dropout

Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. The story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world's youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? How did the woman once heralded as "the next Steve Jobs" find herself facing criminal charges - to which she pleaded not guilty - and up to decades in prison? How did her technology, meant to revolutionize health care, potentially put millions of patients at risk? And how did so many smart people get it so wrong along the way? ABC News chief business, technology and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis, along with producers Taylor Dunn and Victoria Thompson, take listeners on a journey that includes a multi-year investigation. You'll hear exclusive interviews with former employees, investors, and patients, and for the first-time, the never-before-aired deposition testimony of Elizabeth Holmes, and those at the center of this story. Then, go inside the courtroom as 12 jurors decide the fate of the Theranos founder; three years after she was first charged, we find out how this saga finally ends. Subscribe to 20/20 True Crime+ for ad-free listening, early access to new series, exclusive bonus content, and hundreds of episodes from the 20/20 true crime vault. Visit https://apple.co/2020truecrime to subscribe now.

Publisher

ABC News

Category

true crime

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Jan 2019

Latest episode

10 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

5 of 51 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   10 Aug 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Introducing 'Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione'

   Host Michael Barbaro interviews investigative journalist Luigi Mangione about the manhunt for the alleged shooter of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

2. 

   16 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Introducing "The Snare"

   Host Barbara Cramer interviews Detective Jared Jensen about Chris Tapp's interrogation in Idaho Falls, revealing an unexpected twist in a true crime investigation.

3. 

   28 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Introducing "Blood and Water"

   Host Michael Barbaro introduces "Blood and Water," a true crime series exploring a gruesome crime scene discovered after a woman's disappearance.

Inside a recent episode

Introducing 'Burden of Proof: Luigi Mangione'

Published 10 Aug 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Bullets and shell casings. Here's Aaron Katursky again. There were words written in Sharpie on each of them. Delay, deny, depose. One word on each shell casing that had been meticulously handwritten and instantly police believed that was meant to send a message. Delay, deny, depose. Words used by insurance critics to describe how companies avoid paying claims. The words also echo the title of a book, Delay, Deny, Defend, Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims, and What You Can Do About It. Maria Kramer, the New York Times reporter, says police determined the message on these shell casings seemed like it was left there by a person with an ideology. […]

Who has been a guest on The Dropout

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Brian Buckmire
• Andie
• Sabrina
• Vanessa Ivy Rose

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

23,460 ratings

Spotify

4.8 / 5

3,739 ratings

Contact The Dropout

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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