Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf] • Hacker News Board

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#141

Post by RIMR » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:18 PM UTC

dustingetz wrote: post #105

Isn't Martin doing exactly what the rest of the pharma industrial complex is doing - extracting money from insurance companies by working the healthcare system? You can't personify the pharma industrial complex, Pfizer doesn't have a human face or name, but Martin does, so we direct our hatred of the complex at him. Am I wrong? Misplaced hatred does nobody any good, and none of the social media commentary I've seen h…

Did you bother to read the indictment? If you had, you would realize that he's not being arrested for price-gouging. That bullshit's still legal.

He's been arrested for securities fraud. He didn't get in trouble for stealing from the sick and needy, he got in trouble for stealing from the rich and powerful.

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#142

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:21 PM UTC

sakopov wrote: post #118

Am I the only one who thinks that this guy needs psychiatric attention, not jail? Every time i saw an interview conducted with this man he seemed like a complete psychopath.

[deleted]

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#143

Post by collyw » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:24 PM UTC

eljimmy wrote: post #77

I watched his stream on Twitch about a month ago and he came across as a nice guy. Viewers were asking him for career path, post-secondary education, and bio-tech advice. He was responding to questions politely and seemed to be pretty chill. From what the media reports on him and what I saw on Twitch, seems as though he may have a bit of a Jekyll-Hyde type personality.

I quit (actually got fired for complaining) from a startup after six weeks, as the boss was late paying us an lied about it. I am still waiting to be paid for three weeks work two month later. He could also come across as quite charming.

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#144

Post by querulous » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:25 PM UTC

samstave wrote: post #78

nayshins wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From Wikipedia: "Naked short selling, or naked shorting, is the practice of short-selling a tradable asset of any kind without first borrowing the security or ensuring that the security can be borrowed, as is conventionally done in a short sale." It is really easy to lose your shirt with a naked short.

From whom does one do this borrowing?

generally from your broker (who borrows them from their other clients who own those shares). there's some institutional lending also

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#145

Post by iak8god » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:31 PM UTC

pc86 wrote: post #26

jackhack wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am the only one hoping the judge offers bail, then raises it 5000% over the norm?

No sense giving the defense any more reasons for appeal. Whether the guy is a scumbag or not, whether he has a lot of money or not, the criminal justice system should not be imposing undue burden or punishment based on public opinion regarding a matter that isn't even relevant to the case. I won't lose any sleep when this guy goes to prison for a long time, but no sense doing nonsense that will only mildly inconvenie…

> I won't lose any sleep when this guy goes to prison for a long time

What is the point of putting someone like this in prison? He wouldn't pose a threat to others if he were released immediately. He should be sentenced to spend his time and energy giving back to society.

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#146

Post by zem » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:31 PM UTC

rqebmm wrote: post #100

zem wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sadly, borowitz is the new yorker's satire columnist.

And he's just unfunny enough to make you think it's true.

his actual text is hit-and-miss, but his headlines are brilliant.

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#147

Post by sremani » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:32 PM UTC

skrebbel wrote: post #39

danso wrote: post #29

Seriously disappointing news. Shkreli seemed like such an obvious troll in how he defended his price gouging by saying that a CEO's role is to maximize profit for the benefit of shareholders...and yet did so in such an unnecessarily obnoxious way that if he truly were the uber-capitalist, he would know that bragging and drawing attention to what an asshole you are does not achieve the true capitalist goal. I would've…

So, if not a troll / performance artist, what is he then? Just a very stupid person with a bloated ego? How does someone so stupid make it to CEO of a pharmaceutical company at 32?

He is a sociopath. There are political and corporate leaders who are also sociopaths. But this guy, derived pleasure by showing off his misanthropy under the guise of "Greed is Good".

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#148

Post by ctdonath » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:35 PM UTC

danielcampos93 wrote: post #24

What I'm curious is how this affects the Wu Tang Clan's album he bought? http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/business/media/martin-shkr...

IIRC, there are two interesting clauses in the purchase contract:

1. It cannot be sold. Given away, yes, but the current owner doesn't seem like someone who will just release the tracks for the world to enjoy for free.

2. It can be stolen back. By Wu-Tang Clan. Or by Bill Murray.

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#149

Post by kybernetyk » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:40 PM UTC

fbbbbb wrote: post #94

gohrt wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope they get the album back and re-sell it to an honest buyer, instead of keeping stolen money.

Will be slightly scratched. He used it as a beer coaster. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upxrrHQ6sXY

This guy _must_ be a performance artist. I can't explain his act otherwise.

Re: Martin Shkreli indictment [pdf]

#150

Post by desireco42 » Thu, Dec 17, 2015, 9:46 PM UTC

FLUX-YOU wrote: post #65

JayHost wrote: post #43

My first reaction to his arrest was joy and then I saw comments about him getting "beat up in jail" to put it lightly. People who say those kinds of things are no better than him. Possibly worse. The solution to dealing with people like him is to be able to separate them from society or fix the system so it can no longer be exploited so "easily". He may have hurt a lot of people but it's been through proxy as far as…

>Like Morgan on the Walking Dead. I do believe Martin is a good guy on the wrong path. Not sure how you can defend that with this floating around. I’m definitely the real fucking deal. This is not a fucking act. I threatened that fucking guy and his fucking kids because he fucking took $3 million from me and he ended up paying me back. He called my bluff. He said, “You’re not fucking going to go after me.” [I said] “…

Him being of albanian background, I wouldn't be suprised if he was connected to underground as well, specially seing him threatening people like this. This is definitely their style.