Arrogant “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli will spend the next 7 years in prison — NOT because he unnecessarily increased the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim by 5000%, but because he defrauded investors.
The judge insisted that the punishment was not about Shkreli's online antics or raising the cost of the drug.
"This case is not about Mr. Shkreli's self-cultivated public persona ... nor his controversial statements about politics or culture," the judge said, calling his crimes serious.
He was also fined $75,000 and received credit for the roughly six months he has been in prison.
The judge ruled earlier this week that Shkreli would have to forfeit more than $7.3 million in a brokerage account and personal assets including his one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album that he boasted he bought for $2 million. The judge said the property would not be seized until Shkreli had a chance to appeal.
His lawyer argued for leniency on what could have been a 15 year sentence; suggesting 18 months including time already served. His history of arrogance, taunting prosecutors, and calling lawmakers in Congress “imbeciles” after he appeared at a hearing on the drug price increase spoke volumes. THIS is a man who has no respect for the law, no concern about the welfare of the people who needed Daraprim and couldn’t afford the massive price increase, and exerted no control over his out of control behavior.
Too bad this couldn’t have been the result of his “your money or your life” attitude towards people that needed Daraprim which used to be a cheap drug for HIV treatment.
I’m still looking for more sources than the one that popped up on my home page and will update as more information becomes available.