The book describes how the board vouched for the initial integrity of Theranos and Holmes. Because of the high calibers of the board members they were taken as

The book describes how the board vouched for the initial integrity of Theranos and Holmes. Because of the high calibers of the board members they were taken as character witnesses. The boarded included: * former Secretary of State George Shultz * William Perry (former Secretary of Defense) * Henry Kissinger (former Secretary of State) * Sam Nunn (former U.S. Senator) * Bill Frist (former U.S. Senator and heart-transplant surgeon) * Gary Roughead (Admiral, USN, retired) * James Mattis (General, USMC) * Richard Kovacevich (former Wells Fargo Chairman and CEO) * Riley Bechtel (chairman of the board and former CEO at Bechtel Group)