back to article Facebook posts put Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli in prison as a danger to society

Martin Shkreli, the obnoxious smirking hedge fund manager nicknamed Pharma Bro, is going to jail after a series of Facebook posts convinced a judge that he's a menace to society. No, he wasn't extolling the joys of raising prices on AIDS drugs by 5,000 per cent, or talking about his conviction last month for multiple counts of …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Could not have happened to a nicer chap.

    1. willi0000000

      one smirk down . . . thousands to go . . . persevere!

    2. TVU Silver badge

      "Could not have happened to a nicer chap".

      ^ Absolutely this +100!

      As the saying says: "What goes around comes around".

      1. cambsukguy

        > As the saying says: "What goes around comes around".

        Sadly, this is not true, hence the happiness when it actually does.

        Now, some Pharma karma would be great to add to said happiness.

    3. The First Dave

      "Could not have happened to a nicer chap."

      Apart from Trump, Assange and Farage ...

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "Apart from Trump, Assange and Farage ..."

        Yes yes, insert despised political figure here, we get it.

        But you don't. What's going on here is we're verbally ripping apart a fellow human who righteously deserves to be so ripped. We worked out the method a few hundred thousand years ago, living in small tribes of under 150. Back then tho, it was up close and personal.

        This cyber-shaming thing seems, I don't know, kinda tame. Yeah okay, millions are doing it, but so what? HE probably could not give a fig about that, as long as he has at least some fans.

        I suppose being modren and all, we must allow that judge to be our surrogate in this matter. Sigh.

        1. h4rm0ny

          There are plenty who have done worse and got away with it. And for far less reward. Shkreli's great sin, is to be publically unapologetic and say if people didn't like what he did then they should make it illegal. He doesn't understand the vital role that hypocrisy plays in wrong-doing.

          From the moment he smiled on camera and said he didn't care, it was inevitable he'd be put away for something and no jury in the land would acquit him. You can care about money more than people all you like... but you shouldn't say it!

          1. Hans 1
            Angel

            You can care about money more than people all you like... but you shouldn't say it!

            Exactly, next his lawyers will have him say: "I promise to give 98% of my fortune to charity when I die!" and he will be considered a saint ...

      2. Stu Mac

        oh dear, there always has to be one

    4. fran 2
      Happy

      You would need a heart of stone not to laugh

      1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        " You would need a heart of stone not to laugh"

        And I am not that man either.

        He looks (and sounds) like a real poster boy for the "I'm so entitled, taxes are for the little people" sub 1% of US society that he so deserves a good slap.

        But remember, just because others like him don't come across as obvious Aholes does not mean they aren't even bigger ones.

        They are just quieter about it.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: " You would need a heart of stone not to laugh"

          Yeah I think if he'd made that apology immediately the judge would have left him out on bail, but when he had that "come at me, you can't touch me" attitude at first until his lawyers talked some sense into him the judge knew his apology was not even a little bit sincere.

          Nice to see his douchiness suitably rewarded for once!

  2. beep54
    Devil

    Hey! Calling him Pharma Bro is a slap in the face to all bros everywhere. The proper term is pharmadouche.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Even douches would be offended by the association with him.

      1. Triggerfish

        I'd almost say let his name become a term in itself for what he is, but he'd probably get off on the infamy.

        1. Michael Strorm Silver badge

          @Triggerfish; "he'd probably get off on the infamy"

          You mean he'd tell everyone he was only there because the judge and jury all had it in for him?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Will he be allowed to keep up his chemistry pursuits inside? I don't think the prison should intervene if he really wants to engage in cell pharm.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        cell pharm

        I saw what you did there.

        :)

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

        1. cambsukguy

          Federal prison is a piece of cake though by comparison to the state systems.

          There will be no Bubba, just a James or a Jack perhaps.

          1. austint

            "Come at me with your hardest because I haven't seen anything impressive yet."

            And Bubba is only going to see this as an invitation...

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Devil

      Pharmatwat?

      Might work.

    4. The Indomitable Gall

      " Hey! Calling him Pharma Bro is a slap in the face to all bros everywhere. The proper term is pharmadouche. "

      I find that people who refer to themselves/each other as "bros" are likely to be referred to by others as "douches" anyway.

      And to localise that into en_GB, people who refer to themselves/each other as "lads" are likely to be referred to by others as "twats".

  3. elDog

    It's called deflection

    He's trying to move his case from one of lying/stealing/raping to some un-prosecutable case of "just being a jerk".

    It's very simple and the public consumers will eat it up. I hope the prosecutors send his tight little ass to jail for all the right reasons. Since he's into personal growth, he'll enjoy the friendly prodding.

    1. Don Dumb
      Stop

      Re: It's called deflection

      @elDog - "It's called deflection"

      Occam's Razor - no, he really is just an arsehole

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: It's called deflection

      He's just wants to meet new friends who'll widen his circles.

    3. h4rm0ny

      Re: It's called deflection

      >>He's trying to move his case from one of lying/stealing/raping to some un-prosecutable case of "just being a jerk".

      Couldn't be bothered to look up what he was charged with, then. Raping? :/ He was sentenced for two counts of security fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit security fraud. He was found not guilty on five other counts of security fraud in the same case. His investors - who the state was acting on behalf of - actually made quite a lot of money from the investments so the case would probably never have come to trial if the State hadn't wanted to find him guilty of something. And this is accurate whether you like the guy or not. If the criminal actually gives you a three-fold return on your investment, you're unlikely to sue him and it never came up until he came to public attention and became a hated public figure. (The charges related to his career as a hedge-fund manager a couple of years before the drug price furore).

      The fundamental rule of the rich is to pretend to care about the poor. It's the thing that stops outright revolution! And Skkreli broke that rule.

      1. veti Silver badge

        Re: It's called deflection

        "His investors made quite a lot of money" - fine, but that doesn't actually indemnify you from what you did to make it.

        If I take your $100,000, invest it on an inside tip, and return $200,000 to you - that was still insider trading, it was still illegal, and now I've implicated you in that. So even though you've done well out of it, you might reasonably feel aggrieved at me.

  4. Boo Radley

    Club Fed

    My experience with Club Fed is NO electronic devices whatsoever. One might use one to record some of the many lies told by the people in charge.

    Plus they want complete control over who an inmate contacts and they record all communications, so no email or cell phones.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Club Fed

      This sounds like the plan for all of us non-inmates...

      1. imanidiot Silver badge

        Re: Club Fed

        What makes you think you're not an inmate? You're just in the lowest security part of the penal system.

        1. Doctor Huh?

          Re: Club Fed

          "What makes you think you're not an inmate? You're just in the lowest security part of the penal system."

          I was hoping for something that looks more like Portmeirion. And perhaps a single-digit number.

  5. jake Silver badge

    Menace to society? I think not.

    I've certainly never been afraid of people like that.

    Probably a menace to himself, though. The batshit crazy usually are. Should have committed himself (a psychiatric hold), he'd have been out in 72 hours.

    1. Don Dumb
      WTF?

      Re: Menace to society? I think not.

      @Jake - "Menace to society? I think not...I've certainly never been afraid of people like that."

      But he hasn't offered to buy *your* mutilation, so why would *you* worry?

      It's not him specifically that the Secret Service are concerned about, so much as the crazy people who will do something because of him.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Menace to society? I think not.

      You're not on the medication he has made prohibitively expensive, then.

    3. Adam 52 Silver badge

      Re: Menace to society? I think not.

      Funny how nobody complained when the Chaos Computer Club were asking for DNA samples of prominent politicians.

      1. The Indomitable Gall

        Re: Menace to society? I think not.

        " Funny how nobody complained when the Chaos Computer Club were asking for DNA samples of prominent politicians. "

        Were the members of the Chaos Computer Club up for bail hearings on felony charges?

        This didn't happen because he was some kind of special case -- we heard about it because he's some kind of special case.

  6. Rik Myslewski

    Lovely, lovely man

    There are assholes in this world. There are sniveling dickheads. There are embarrassments to humanity. There are worthless wastes of eons of human evolution. There are puke-inducing turdmen who make reasonable folks weep to be members of their species.

    And then there's Martin Shkreli ...

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon
      Joke

      Re: Lovely, lovely man

      Not even Hermes could limbo dance under the bar this guy sets.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Lovely, lovely man

        Not even Hermes could limbo dance under the bar this guy sets.

        He'd probably think the winged rod was something else anyway ..

        1. Sir Runcible Spoon

          Re: Lovely, lovely man

          "He'd probably think the winged rod was something else anyway ."

          That might have been a tangential comment, but just in case: I was referring to the character in Futurama, not the ancient alien who introduced alchemy to the world :)

          1. DropBear
            Happy

            Re: Lovely, lovely man

            That was my first guess too - "wait, maybe they're talking about the deity?" was only the distant second...

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Lovely, lovely man

            I was referring to the character in Futurama, not the ancient alien who introduced alchemy to the world :)

            Ah, you think I misunderstood by accident? You have much to learn, grasshopper :)

      2. Blake St. Claire

        Re: Lovely, lovely man

        > Not even Hermes could limbo dance under the bar this guy sets.

        And some of us thought Twitler had already set the bar too low for that.

    2. cambsukguy

      Re: Lovely, lovely man

      What's the difference between a Catfish and Martin Shkreli?

      Ones a scum-sucking bottom feeder... and the other is a fish.

      boom boom.

      1. cambsukguy

        Re: Lovely, lovely man

        hmm, One's a ...

        Being a grammar Nazi has its risks.

  7. MK_E

    I honestly have trouble believing this guy is real and not a character sometimes.

    Doesn't make me not want to grab popcorn whenever the subject comes up though.

  8. Jimbo in Thailand
    Terminator

    I only wish...

    ...that the judge would appoint me to give Shkreli a little private one-on-one 'spiritual counseling' for about 15-20 minutes. I honestly believe I could make him see the error of his ways. But even if he still chose to not see the light, I would walk away with a permanent grin knowing that I wiped that disgusting smirk off of the little prick's face, at least for a little while.

    1. Alan Bourke

      Re: I only wish...

      I'll crowdfund you.

      1. Sir Runcible Spoon

        Re: I only wish...

        It would be ironic for him to get septicemia and suddenly find he couldn't afford the medication to treat it.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I only wish...

          It would be ironic for him to get septicemia and suddenly find he couldn't afford the medication to treat it.

          The problem is that even identity thieves would not want to fake his identity. They'll easily rob a pensioner blind, but pretending to be Shkreli, no.

      2. cambsukguy

        Re: I only wish...

        > I'll crowdfund you.

        Careful, that is perilously close to (one of) the crime(s) he committed.

    2. Just Enough
      FAIL

      Re: I only wish...

      Nice example of the kind of post on the internet that can get you put in jail, there. Very apt.

      - Threat of violence? Check.

      - Vigilante justice? Check.

      - No realistic possibility of it ever happening? Check.

      - Internet tough guy? Check.

      1. Jimbo in Thailand
        FAIL

        @Just Enough - Re: I only wish...

        You obviously suffer a lack of reading comprehension skills Just Enough. I clearly stated:

        "I only wish...

        ...that the judge would appoint me to give Shkreli a little private one-on-one 'spiritual counseling' for about 15-20 minutes"

        It has nothing to do with "vigilante justice" or any of your other purely BS points. And I'm not usually an "Internet bully" but in Shkreli's case I would certainly make an exception.

        Have a nice day!

  9. Nolveys

    Fuck over millions of sick people, that's capitalism. Threaten to pull the hair of one of the sociopaths that be*? Go in guns blazing.

    Don't get me wrong, anything that puts this snake behind bars is fine by me, it just seems the priorities are a bit off.

    * Not that I don't think The Orange One is any better. The world would be a better place if all of the elephants and asses (save a very select few) were burried under millions of tons of silt mixed with radioactive waste at the bottom of the ocean.

    1. defiler

      I don't think you're allowed to dump radioactive waste at the bottom of the ocean, though. Besides, would that not give them superpowers or something?

      Nope - that's pretty-much the only flaw I can find. Swap the rads for ballast, and let's start looking at implementation.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        No, you don't want that poison in the food chain.

        Instead, give these people the lives of the lowest of their victim for a duration commensurate to the harm they caused. No access to money, luxury, contacts, friends or health care levels of their current life: an approach by which these people get pariah status in a way they can't flee from it.

        The ones that are incorrigible will experience the punishment as a humiliation (which is in their world presently the worst that can happen to them), the ones the DO learn get a chance to experience just what they are causing. On return, there will be a probationary time (a sort of 3 strikes system) that can repeat the sentence on failure.

        And stop with fining *companies* as if they're people. Until an AI can run a company by itself a company is always managed by people. As a matter of fact, to do it right there is even a potential for guilt to seep into the shareholders.

        -----

        This was another episode of "welcome to the revolution". Regular programming shall now resume :).

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "Fuck over millions of sick people, that's capitalism. Threaten to pull the hair..."

      All of that and don't forget that Facebook provided the evidence for the supposed criminal charge. This news is stacked bottom to top. It's all about poster boys, so the next time you need to divert attention from corrupt motives, have a poster boy ready.

    3. cambsukguy

      I think this is the Al Capone method. Put him in prison for anything, something is better than nothing.

      Bear in mind, they only revoked his bail, in the UK you go to the slammer and await your sentencing, I amazed how many countries say "Put your affairs in order and return here in 2 months for sentence, you are going to prison".

      Talk about pressure to run like hell.

      Of course, it does seem more civilised (unlike the US system in general) to allow people to prepare for prison.

    4. The Nazz

      re elephants and asses

      So why on earth do the millions upon millions of ordinary people keep voting for the same people, or virtual copies thereof? The personnel may change occasionally but not the policies/strategies. Surely it's time for a third way?

      Also, i'll apologise profusely in advance, just in case anyone instantaneously vomits, but could we have some clarity on which hair was worth $5k dollars? Head or pubic**?

      $50m and lifelong immunity wouldn't have tempted me in the latter.

      **There again there will be some people, i amongst them, who may point out that there is little difference, in the whole.

      Maybe if such as Clinton, and others, weren't so outrightly obnoxious and actually worked FOR the people, they wouldn't need protecting?

    5. The Indomitable Gall

      " Fuck over millions of sick people, that's capitalism. Threaten to pull the hair of one of the sociopaths that be*? Go in guns blazing "

      Calling in bomb threats is highly disruptive, and therefore a crime even where there is no actual bomb.

      The tweets in question were very similar. Any credible threat against a public figure becomes a massive cost and inconvenience to the security services. Her security detail will have to be increased as attempts to pull a hair cannot be readily distinguished from attempts to do more serious harm until it's too late; and anyone who genuinely wants to get close enough to do real harm might see the hair-grab thing as a useful smokescreen for a serious attack.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Voodoo Economics ?

  11. Blotto Silver badge

    Good

    He deserved it the stupid fuckwit.

    I hope they make an example of him.

  12. Andy 97

    Is he suffering from mental illness?

    1. Triggerfish

      Is he suffering from mental illness?

      No he's just a twat, he's basically the opposite end of the bell curve of society/ ethics/ morality to the side that has all the real saints and selfless people on it.

      1. Sir Runcible Spoon
        Coat

        I read that as 'bell-end curve' for some reason

        1. Triggerfish

          I read that as 'bell-end curve' for some reason

          Easy mistake to make considering the subject matter, you could say he is / at the bell end of the bell curve.

    2. Tom 38

      I'm fairly certain he was high as fuck when he made the original post.

    3. Not That Andrew

      Wouldn't surprise me if he's trying to build a case for an insanity defense in his appeal. Actually, is there an insanity defence in securities fraud?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        He really wouldn't want to do that.

        People often don't understand the implication of an insanity plea on a violent offence. You're declaring that you have a mental illness that makes you a danger to society. The result is likely to be being put in a secure unit and having to go through a long, drawn-out, step-by-step process of gradual removal of restrictions before you are free. People often end up spending more time locked up than if they had just gone to prison, and if they're actually just a sociopath they could never get out

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      No. If he has anything it'd just be a personality disorder, like sociopathy.

    5. Citizens untied

      Affluenza with a side of social media disphoria.

  13. Slabfondler
    Black Helicopters

    Who will..

    play him in the biopic? Or better still, how about a debate between him and John McAfee? That would be a hoot!

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon
      Joke

      Re: Who will..

      Julian Assange? He has the range.

    2. cambsukguy

      Re: Who will..

      John Cusack could do it.

  14. This post has been deleted by its author

  15. Nick Kew
    Stop

    Misleading headline.

    Clearly a ****. But that's not a reason to bang him up. It obviously wasn't a call to rid anyone of some turbulent priest like the Lord AbsoluteA***" case.

    But in the text it turns out he wasn't banged up for being an **** online. The story is just about bail being revoked, and the bail was in connection with real crimes. Shame on the Reg for such misleading clickbait over a non-story.

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: Misleading headline.

      "Shame on the Reg for such misleading clickbait over a non-story."

      Come off it, Nick. You're not new here. You know what goes on.

      1. Nick Kew
        Unhappy

        Re: Misleading headline.

        You know what goes on.

        Yeah. All kinds of stories, some of them worth reading. And a commentariat whose relatively-light censorship usually permits a moan, at no greater risk than being downvoted. I don't need no Doctor Syntax: give me Dr Grumpy instead.

        1. cambsukguy

          Re: Misleading headline.

          Fake news like Child sex rings operating out of Pizza parlours, run by HRC no less, causing a nutcase to go all shooty on the place.

          Yes, they do need to be careful of what people say, more so in the USA than in the UK for sure.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Misleading headline.

          I'm not a doctor, but I can tell you...

          Get the fuck off my lawn. And get that hair cut: You look like a girl. I dunno, youth today. etc.

        3. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Misleading headline.

      Nick, I have quite a degree of tolerance for someone who makes fun of their own name by asking not to verb it (yes, I noticed :) ), but in this case I think you're not quite tuned in.

      They locked him up because he made threatening posts on Facebook in a country where idiots can buy guns without any questions asked whilst on bail. Even if he "meant it as a joke" (which I actually doubt because he strikes me as the kind of asshole who would follow through on the reward), protective services have to take into account the fact that other idiots would give it a try. Add to that that this is apparently not the first time he's pulled a stunt like that and the termination of his bail is indeed for a Facebook posting. The reason he's on bail in the first place is indeed because of a criminal prosecution.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    How to win friends

    "Come at me with your hardest because I haven't seen anything impressive yet."

    Attaboy! that line should serve you well in jail. Use daily,

  17. ukgnome

    Poor sad little wanker - wonder if he gets to pick up soap.

  18. Korev Silver badge
    Coat

    "the obnoxious smirking hedge fund manager nicknamed Pharma Bro"

    Wouldn't this make him the Jolly Pharma?

    1. Andre Carneiro

      More like the Jolly Rogered, I suspect...

  19. Autonomous Cowherd

    'Confirm the sequences'

    I'm assuming sequences refers to DNA sequences, but can anyone enlighten me what may be meant by implication? I'm rather curious!

    1. David Roberts

      Re: 'Confirm the sequences'

      Presumably a burglar left a hair behind (hopefully not a behind hair) and he is convinced that Hilary was the perpetrator and wants a DNA match to prove it.

      Or there may be no logic at all.

      1. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

        Re: 'Confirm the sequences'

        Oh dear. Clearly mentally ill, this guy.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Indeed

    Sounds like he was up to some serious mischief.

    Then again, what is he trying to prove? Hillary is basically a normal human being like (most) of the rest of us. In retrospect its a shame she didn't get in as POTUS as it would have been interesting.

  21. phuzz Silver badge
    Alert

    Once upon a time...

    Yet again the media are ignoring the real story here:

    What's happening with the Wu Tang album?

    1. Not That Andrew

      Re: Once upon a time...

      Isn't it still up on eBay?

  22. FuzzyWuzzys
    Facepalm

    He's a gone "a bit McAfee"!

    x

    1. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

      Re: He's a gone "a bit McAfee"!

      More like McAfee ^ 2.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wrong wording

    "See if you can surreptitiously get a hair" would have probably been legal, since people drop hairs everywhere they go. "Grab a hair off her" is borderline and the judge deemed it on the wrong side of the line.

    Rather like the number of politicians that privacy advocates have fingerprints from. You don't tell people to grab their hands and force them against things, you suggest acquiring the plastic cup they just binned. Heck, a cup hrc had drunk from would probably have enough dna for this arsehole's schemes.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I like him

    I didn't use to but I love his sense of humor. As far as raising pharma prices through manipulation or whatever, who cares? Who gets there meds from doctors nowdays anyways what with Obama care making certain to keep people away from the doctors. Easier to order bulk powders from China and make your own.

  25. Mike Moyle

    A fellow that I used to work with had previously been a guard in a "correctional facility". It was there that he acquired a simple phrase used to describe the inmates that they expected to see back (or perhaps, never see leave) that applies to the Martin Shkrelis of the world:

    "Inherently Unteachable".

    In most cases, this is a result of the subject having an unshakable idée fixe that s/he is ALWAYS the smartest person in the room.

    I'm fully expecting that, even if he DOES end up @ a "Club Fed", Shkreli's apparent inability to learn will inevitably lead him to do something monumentally stupid -- my guess is that he'll try to get some sort of contraband brought in -- that will end up getting him moved to a... less genteel place of incarceration

    1. GrumpenKraut
      Happy

      > "Inherently Unteachable"

      Nice one, also known as "resistant to advice" or, stronger, "suffers from a rigor mortis of intellect" (word by word translation from GrumpenLanguage, please correct if needed).

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        suffers from a rigor mortis of intellect

        Nice :). What was that in the original language?

        1. GrumpenKraut

          > What was that in the original language?

          GrumpenSpeak: "Leidet unter Totenstarre des Intellekts."

          A better parsing version would be "Ein Fall von intellektueller Totenstarre." ("A case of intellectual rigor mortis.").

          1. jake Silver badge

            I prefer ...

            ... ossification of the intellect.

          2. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            A better parsing version would be "Ein Fall von intellektueller Totenstarre." ("A case of intellectual rigor mortis.").

            Danke vielmals :). I'm not a native German speaker, but I'm always interested in interesting tidbits.

  26. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Happy

    This is terrible

    I didn't get to read this good news till late this afternoon!

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Just Stupid

    He threatened to harm a hair on someone much higher in the food chain. That's the quickest way I know to change yourself from predator to prey.

  28. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

    "apologized"

    That's American spelling.

  29. Herby

    The lesson here...

    Is that the internet is "forever" and "very public". Lose these lessons, and you are in a bit of trouble.

    As for the former secretary of state, if she lost a hair for each of the lies she told, a cue ball would have more hair (probably by an order of magnitude).

  30. TsVk!

    The bloke is a clear narcissist and sociopath, it just may be he'll have a run in with HIV in prison... that would be sweet irony.

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