Brad Garlinghouse just took a direct shot at Elizabeth Holmes—and the exchange is getting attention across crypto and tech circles.
After the former Theranos CEO posted on X that “if the govt comes for you, YOU. CAN’T. WIN,” the Ripple chief fired back with a blunt reply: “Not True.” The short response triggered a quick back-and-forth that put two very different legal battles side by side.
Holmes pointed to Ripple’s SEC case, noting the company still paid a $125 million penalty to settle. But many in the crypto industry see the outcome differently. After years of litigation, a federal court ruled that XRP sales on public exchanges were not securities transactions—a decision widely viewed as a major precedent.
The contrast between the two cases is stark. Ripple faced a civil securities lawsuit over token sales. Holmes faced criminal fraud charges tied to the collapse of Theranos—and is now serving more than a decade in federal prison.
Still, the exchange has sparked a bigger conversation online:
Is it actually possible to fight the government and come out ahead?
For much of the crypto industry, the Ripple case remains a rare example of a company pushing back against regulators—and surviving the fight.
