Authenticity Takes Over in Silicon Valley

The start-up world's "fake it till you make it" ethos is coming to an end as investors scrutinize start-up claims more closely and a tech downturn reveals who has been taking the industry's habit of playing fast and loose with the truth too far. Recent charges, convictions, and sentences indicate that the start-up world's fast and loose fakery actually has consequences. The Justice Department has been urging prosecutors to "be bold" in its pursuit of more business frauds, including at private start-ups. Investors are increasingly asking consultants to help identify the telltale signs of "Machiavellian narcissists" who are more likely to commit fraud.