Government Opposes Release Of 'Pharma Bro'

NEW YORK CITY — Convicted former drug company CEO Martin Shkreli, also known as the "Pharma Bro," has been trying to get out of prison, claiming he could use the time out to research a treatment for the coronavirus. But government attorneys says Shkreli is just fine where he is now.

In a memorandum opposing Shkreli's release, Attorneys for the Eastern District of New York cite probation officials, who have gone on record to say there's no proof that Shkreli could or would use his time out of jail working to cure the virus in any meaningful way:

"Moreover, as Probation observes, Shkreli's "belief that he can develop a cure for COVID-19, something that has so far eluded the best medical and scientific minds in the world working around the clock, is not only a practice in wild and completely unfounded speculation, but is indicative of the same kind of delusional self-aggrandizing behavior that underlies the defendant's conduct.""

Attorneys go on to say that, even if Shkreli could somehow develop a cure, there's no indication that he would use it to help anyone: "As the evidence at trial demonstrated, Shkreli’s involvement in the search for cures to diseases was primarily motivated by the potential to make tremendous profits."

Shkreli first caught the public eye when he bought the rights to the lifesaving drug Daraprim from another company in 2014 and raised the price from $13.50 to $750 per pill. He then continued to rise to viral infamy through several snarky posts online, leading some to call him "the most hated man in America."

The United States Attorneys conclude the memorandum by requesting that Shkreli's motion to be released be denied. Shkreli had asked to be released for three months to research a cure for the coronavirus.

In a statement he claimed his work "as a successful two-time biopharma entrepreneur" and as "one of the few executives experienced in ALL aspects of drug development" would make him useful in the development of new treatments.

Shkreli was sentenced to seven years behind bars back in 2018 for a variety of crimes including defrauding and lying to investors and withdrawing excess money from two hedge funds he ran. At the time, Shkreli was ordered to forfeit $7.3 million. He is currently incarcerated at a low-security prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania.