Separate from my other response, he is probably not a villain in his own mind. So, while Theranos wouldn't even register against some of his other acts from the opinions of many, it very well might in his own mind.
I also should have been clearer in my original comment and provided another aspect of the influence people at that level have: It can often be passive. It may not take a phone call to for the influence to manifest itself: The mere involvement of prominent people like this in a scandal could be all it takes to spark significant interest by the DOJ and prosecutors to investigate, it doesn't necessarily have to be a back-channel request from the person to look into an issue. On a much smaller scale that has happened where I work before.
I also should have been clearer in my original comment and provided another aspect of the influence people at that level have: It can often be passive. It may not take a phone call to for the influence to manifest itself: The mere involvement of prominent people like this in a scandal could be all it takes to spark significant interest by the DOJ and prosecutors to investigate, it doesn't necessarily have to be a back-channel request from the person to look into an issue. On a much smaller scale that has happened where I work before.