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Portrait of Martin Shkreli

Photo: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform · Public domain

Born in United States · Nationality American — Pharmaceuticals / hedge funds / financial fraud / antitrust / civil litigation / cultural assets

Martin Shkreli

Business and billionaires

Documented profile covering 14 controversies, including “2025–February 2026: key PleasrDAO claims survive; Shkreli countersues over copyright” and “January–October 2024: pharmaceutical ban and $64.6 million order upheld on appeal, Supreme Court declines review”.

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Profile No. 2042 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Martin Shkreli

Photo: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform · Public domain
14Documented controversies+ 1 background event
11Sources
1 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

01

26 September 2025–3 February 2026

2025–February 2026: key PleasrDAO claims survive; Shkreli countersues over copyright

Civil / administrative proceedings

In 2025, a judge allowed certain PleasrDAO claims, notably those involving trade secrets, to proceed. In February 2026, Shkreli filed his own claim challenging the sale of certain copyrights and seeking damages.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    ReutersMartin Shkreli can be sued for copying unique Wu-Tang Clan album, judge rulesNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    ReutersMartin Shkreli countersues over unique Wu-Tang Clan albumNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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02

23 January–7 October 2024

January–October 2024: pharmaceutical ban and $64.6 million order upheld on appeal, Supreme Court declines review

Civil / administrative proceedings

The federal appellate court upheld the antitrust judgment in January 2024. In October, the Supreme Court declined to hear Shkreli's petition, leaving the lifetime ban and financial obligation in place.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Federal Trade CommissionVyera Pharmaceuticals, LLCRegulatory authorityVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    ReutersUS Supreme Court rejects ex-pharma CEO Martin Shkreli's appealNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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03

10 June–23 August 2024

June–August 2024: PleasrDAO alleges he retained and distributed copies of Wu-Tang album; injunction issued

Civil / administrative proceedings

PleasrDAO, which acquired the unique album, sued Shkreli after he stated online that he had retained copies and shared excerpts. The court ordered him, among other things, not to use or distribute the disputed copies.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    ReutersMartin Shkreli copied one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album, lawsuit claimsNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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04

20 January 2023

January 2023: FTC seeks contempt finding for failure to cooperate in Druglike investigation

Civil / administrative proceedings

The FTC asked the court to sanction Shkreli for failing to provide documents and refusing an interview in its investigation into whether his new company, Druglike, violated his pharmaceutical industry ban.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Federal Trade CommissionFTC Asks Federal Court to Hold ‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli in ContemptOfficial documentVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    Federal Trade CommissionVyera Pharmaceuticals, LLCRegulatory authorityVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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05

27 January 2020–14 January 2022

January 2020–January 2022: Daraprim antitrust action — court finds unlawful scheme to preserve monopoly

Civil / administrative proceedings

The FTC and several states sued Shkreli and Vyera for using exclusive agreements and other measures to prevent or delay generic competitors entering the Daraprim market. In 2022, the court concluded that Shkreli had participated in the anticompetitive scheme.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    Federal Trade CommissionVyera Pharmaceuticals, LLCRegulatory authorityVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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06

14 January–4 February 2022

January 2022: lifetime pharmaceutical industry ban and $64.6 million in disgorgement

Civil / administrative proceedings

Following the antitrust trial, Shkreli was permanently banned from the pharmaceutical industry and ordered to disgorge $64.6 million in profits linked to the unlawful scheme.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Federal Trade CommissionVyera Pharmaceuticals, LLCRegulatory authorityVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    ReutersUS Supreme Court rejects ex-pharma CEO Martin Shkreli's appealNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 7 documented stages

May–September 2022: early release from prison through a halfway house

Conviction
07

18 May–14 September 2022

May–September 2022: early release from prison through a halfway house

Conviction

After more than four years in custody, Shkreli was transferred to a halfway house in May 2022 ahead of the scheduled completion of his federal sentence in September.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    The Washington PostMartin Shkreli released early from prisonPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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08

9 March 2018

March 2018: seven years in prison, fine and forfeiture of approximately $7.3 million

Conviction

Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $75,000 fine and forfeiture of approximately $7.3 million.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkMartin Shkreli Sentenced to Seven Years’ Imprisonment for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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09

4 August 2017

August 2017: found guilty on three fraud and conspiracy counts but acquitted on several others

Conviction

After a six-week trial, a federal jury found Shkreli guilty of two counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkFormer Hedge Fund Manager Convicted In Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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10

September 2017

September 2017: bail revoked after post offering reward for obtaining Hillary Clinton's hair

Conviction

The court revoked Shkreli's bail after he posted an online offer of a reward to anyone who obtained a strand of Hillary Clinton's hair, conduct the judge considered sufficiently threatening to justify detention.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkMartin Shkreli Sentenced to Seven Years’ Imprisonment for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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12

17 December 2015

December 2015: federal arrest in investor fraud case — separate from Daraprim

Conviction

Shkreli was arrested in a case involving his hedge funds and Retrophin, not the price of Daraprim. The case led to his 2017 trial.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkFormer Hedge Fund Manager Convicted In Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkMartin Shkreli Sentenced to Seven Years’ Imprisonment for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

13

2011–2014

2011–2014: MSMB Healthcare and Retrophin — further fraud scheme and use of agreements to repay earlier investors

Conviction

After MSMB Capital collapsed, Shkreli founded MSMB Healthcare and then Retrophin. Prosecutors established that he had again deceived investors and used agreements involving Retrophin to settle claims by investors in his funds.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkFormer Hedge Fund Manager Convicted In Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkMartin Shkreli Sentenced to Seven Years’ Imprisonment for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

14

2009–2011

2009–2011: fraud against MSMB Capital investors — false statements about performance and assets

Conviction

Shkreli provided MSMB Capital investors with false information about the fund's performance, liquidity and assets, particularly after major losses, in order to attract or retain their capital.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkFormer Hedge Fund Manager Convicted In Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New YorkMartin Shkreli Sentenced to Seven Years’ Imprisonment for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud SchemeCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

11

August–September 2015

September 2015: Daraprim price rises from approximately $13.50–$17.50 to $750 per tablet

No legal proceedings

Under Shkreli's leadership, Turing Pharmaceuticals acquired Daraprim and sharply increased its price to $750 per tablet, making him a national symbol of the debate over drug pricing.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. CongressCongressional Record — Daraprim price increaseParliamentary recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    Federal Trade CommissionVyera Pharmaceuticals, LLCRegulatory authorityVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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II. Documented background

Documented biographical or institutional milestones (elections, appointments, foundings, acquisitions…). These are not controversies and are not counted as such.

  1. 2018–27 July 2021

    2018–2021: government seizes and sells unique Wu-Tang Clan album to satisfy forfeiture judgment

    The sole copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, purchased by Shkreli, was seized as a substitute asset and subsequently sold by the government, with the proceeds applied towards the forfeiture judgment.

    Sources · 1
    1. U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of New York — United States Sells Unique Wu-Tang Clan Album Forfeited by Convicted Hedge Fund Manager Martin Shkreli

III. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)
  1. Hillary Clinton1 documented reference

IV. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

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