Martin Shkreli, the former pharmaceutical executive who gained notoriety for his role in the price-gouging of a life-saving drug, has been ordered to surrender his rare Wu-Tang Clan album to the government. This comes as part of a court order to seize assets that could be used to pay off the $7.36 million he owes in fines related to his fraud conviction.

The Rare Album

The album in question is the Wu-Tang Clan’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,’ which was released in 2015. It is a unique piece of art, with only one copy produced. The album was sold to an unknown buyer for $2 million, later revealed to be Martin Shkreli. The album features 31 tracks and took six years to produce.

The Court Order

The court order, issued by Brooklyn federal court judge Kiyo Matsumoto, demands that Shkreli hand over the album, along with other assets such as his Picasso painting and his Enigma machine. The order is part of a larger effort to seize assets that could be used to pay off the fines related to Shkreli’s fraud conviction.

Martin Shkreli’s Criminal Past

Martin Shkreli gained widespread attention in 2015 when, as the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, he raised the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim by 5,000%. The move sparked outrage and led to his eventual arrest and conviction on fraud charges unrelated to the price hike. Shkreli was found guilty of three counts of fraud in August 2017 and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

Wu-Tang Clan’s Reaction

The Wu-Tang Clan has not commented on the court order. However, when Shkreli originally purchased the album, the group’s de facto leader, RZA, stated that the group was not aware of the buyer’s identity and did not approve of the sale.

Conclusion

The seizure of Martin Shkreli’s rare Wu-Tang Clan album marks another chapter in the former pharmaceutical executive’s legal troubles. As the government works to collect the fines related to his fraud conviction, fans of the Wu-Tang Clan can only hope that the album will find its way back into the public eye. For now, the album remains a symbol of the controversy surrounding Shkreli’s criminal past.

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