The infamous “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli is once again making headlines, this time for his involvement with a rare, unreleased Wu-Tang Clan album. A New York federal judge has ordered Shkreli to surrender any copies he possesses of the album, titled Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, after accusations that he retained digital copies and played the music for others.
Shkreli, a former drug firm executive who gained notoriety for dramatically increasing the price of a life-saving drug, was convicted in 2017 of securities fraud. As part of his sentence, he forfeited the album’s only physical copy to pay off court debts. However, the album’s current owner, cryptocurrency collective PleasrDAO, has accused Shkreli of violating the forfeiture order by keeping digital copies.
The Wu-Tang Clan created just one copy of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, which was auctioned in 2015 under the condition that it could never be released publicly. The group spent six years crafting the 31-track album, intending for it to be viewed as a piece of contemporary art. Shkreli purchased the album for a reported $2 million, but now faces legal action for allegedly retaining unauthorized copies.
The federal judge’s order requires Shkreli to turn over all copies of the album by the end of the week, prohibiting him from possessing or sharing its contents. PleasrDAO, which paid $4.75 million for the physical copy, sees the ruling as an “important victory” in their lawsuit against Shkreli.
Shkreli’s legal representative downplayed the significance of the order, stating that it is a preliminary measure and does not impact the final outcome of the case. Despite his release from jail in 2022 after serving most of a seven-year sentence, Shkreli continues to be embroiled in legal battles over his controversial actions.
