FTC calls on federal court to hold 'pharma bro' Martin Shkreli in contempt

TL;DR

The Federal Trade Commission on Friday called for a federal court to hold “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli in contempt after Shkreli allegedly flouted a recent FTC investigation into his business dealings and failed to make a $64.6 million payment he owed for his prior wrongdoings.The FTC’s contempt motion follows what the agency described as its an unsuccessful attempt to verify whether Shkreli has violated a court order barring him from ever working in the pharmaceutical industry again.Brianne Murphy, an attorney for Shkreli, called the issue with the FTC a misunderstanding that “can get resolved relatively quickly once we get additional information and context to them.” Murphy added that Shkreli’s new business does not run afoul of the court order because the new company “is a software company, rather than a drug company.”Shkreli was released from federal prison last year after serving a shortened sentence.Shkreli also infamously raised prices for the life-saving medication Daraprim by 4,000% while he was head of Turing Pharmaceuticals.But in fact, the FTC said, “to date he has paid nothing toward the judgment, and has made no efforts to comply with this provision of the Order.”As far as his involvement with Druglike, the FTC added: “Shkreli’s noncompliance is also clear and unambiguous: Shkreli has not submitted a supplemental Compliance Report, provided access to relevant documents, or made himself available for an interview.”"

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