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HomeGeneralMeet Keiko Fujimoto, the Artist Who Was Once Married to a Convicted...

Meet Keiko Fujimoto, the Artist Who Was Once Married to a Convicted Fraudster

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Keiko Fujimoto lives a quiet life now. However, it was disrupted in the past because her name was connected to Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani. 

Keiko Fujimoto making the peace sign
Image: Pinterest

Balwani is a convicted fraudster who almost got away with fooling the corporate world. Fujimoto rose to fame after it was revealed that she and Balwani were once married.

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Fujimoto was his wife until the early 2000s when he met another woman who ultimately changed his life. Unfortunately, it was not for the better. 

According to court documents, Fujimoto filed for divorce from Balwani on Valentine’s Day, 2002. The case was heard in San Francisco County Superior Court, California. 

The divorce was finalized officially on December 31, 2002. Some reports claim their split had something to do with Balwani meeting Elizabeth Holmes — the woman he later committed fraud with — that same year. 

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The former couple did not confirm this. Also, since Balwani kept most details of what he shared with Fujimoto secret, they remain speculations. 

What Is Known About Keiko Fujimoto?

Keiko Fujimoto lives under the radar, so little about her private life is known. What people do know about her is that she is of Japanese nationality and is an established artist. 

It is also public knowledge that she resided in San Francisco while married to Balwani. The talented artist met her former husband while he was still upright and working at Microsoft as a sales manager for Northern California. He resigned from the job in 1999 and became the president of CommerceBid.com. 

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Fujimoto loves being an artist and has enjoyed success in the US, where her works have been displayed in various exhibitions. Her work has also been showcased at SOMA Artist Studios in San Francisco alongside talents like Jessica Allee, David Bryand, and Kat Flynn. 

The Controversy Surrounding Keiko Fujimoto’s Ex, Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani 

Balwani is a native of Pakistan. He was born into an upper-middle-class Hindu family, so he enjoyed the education provided for kids with good family backgrounds. 

Sunny Balwani looking sharp in a suit
Image: Pinterest

He eventually moved to India and then the USA, where he studied computer science at the University of Texas. After graduating, Balwani joined the tech industry and worked hard to put food on the table. 

His life changed when he met Elizabeth Holmes. When they met, she was 18 and had been on a Stanford University-sponsored trip to China. He was 20 years older. 

Holmes Accused Keiko Fujimoto’s Ex Of Abuse

Holmes later dropped out of school to found a company named Theranos in 2003. Around that time, she reached out to Balwani, who was only too happy to provide comfort after she told him she was sexually defiled at Stanford. 

She said: “He said that I was safe now that I had met him.” 

They started living together in 2004, and five years later, Balwani joined Theranos as the COO. The company promised investors modern technology that would support disease detection by analyzing drops of blood. 

Elizabeth Holmes
Image: Pinterest

It was a revolutionary idea that would have changed the face of health care, so it caught the attention of many affluent people and families. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a scam. 

Years after the startup launched, Balwani and Holmes were charged with fraud over a million-dollar scheme to defraud their investors. It led to a dramatic court trial in which Holmes revealed sordid details about their relationship.

It shocked the world as Holmes had kept what they shared secret while the company was on the rise. 

Holmes Accused Balwani of Abuse

In defending herself, Holmes called out Balwani, claiming he had abused her emotionally and sexually. Holmes alleged that Balwani controlled every aspect of her life and forced her to sleep with him. 

He denied the allegations, and the revelation was insufficient to exonerate Holmes. She was eventually found guilty and sentenced to prison, making her one of the few tech entrepreneurs convicted of white-collar crimes. 

Balwani also stood trial for the part he played in the fraud in 2022, and like Holmes, he pleaded not guilty. However, he was found guilty and sentenced to over a decade in prison

Keiko Fujimoto’s name came up during Balwani’s trial, but it is clear that they had nothing to do with each other after they divorced. While Balwani deals with the consequences of his actions, Fujimoto lives happily, fulfilled by her work as an artist.

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