Martin Shkreli, the imprisoned former CEO nicknamed the “Pharma Bro” after jacking up the price of an anti-parasite drug from $13.50 to $750, will not be released from prison early, a judge ruled Tuesday. Shkreli had requested early release on mental health grounds, arguing that his mental health had taken a downturn in confinement, making him more susceptible to COVID-19. U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto ruled that he had not shown “extraordinary and compelling reasons” to be released. He is currently serving a seven-year sentence for fraud.
Shkreli recently made headlines again after an Elle magazine article detailed his relationship with former Bloomberg reporter Christie Smythe, who broke the news of his initial 2015 arrest. While Shkreli infamously broke up with Smythe via statement, she remained true to her principles. “The mental health of ALL prisoners has deteriorated significantly during this pandemic,” Smythe wrote Tuesday. “Nonviolent inmates who can be released safely should be.”
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