Martin Shkreli, the controversial former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, offered rapper Kanye West $10 million Thursday to refrain from releasing his album publicly.
The notorious “pharma bro” – who was widely criticized for marking up a life-saving drug used to treat cancer and AIDS by 5000 percent – took heat for spending $2 million on the sole copy of a Wu-Tang Clan album last year.
After being subpoenaed by Congress to testify on drug price gouging, Shkreli opted to plead the fifth last week, including a question on the album purchase from South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy
Here is my initial offer for the album. @kanyewest Thanks for your consideration and I look forward to your response pic.twitter.com/opJ7mlfraK
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 11, 2016
The former hedge fund manager tweeted at Kim Kardashian’s husband with a written proposal asking the artist to refrain from releasing the album to the public in exchange for the large sum of money.
Kanye and his label are legally required to take my offer letter to their Board of Directors. This should delay the album by a few days.
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 11, 2016
Shkreli was arrested on securities fraud charges in December for allegedly participating in a Ponzi-like scheme at his former hedge fund to which he has plead not guilty.
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