Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison • Hacker News Board

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#21

Post by monochromatic » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:29 PM UTC

Clubber wrote: post #20

Here's what we just witnessed. 1. Companies were cornering certain drugs, then hiking their prices up significantly. Shkrelli did the same thing (but stated he was willing to give it free for anyone who asked). Note, that this is not illegal in any way, but news was all over it and citizens were pissed. 2. Shkrelli, being outspoken, became the focus of this issue. He dug a hole for himself, but concerning drug prices…

Except this investigation was already in progress when the drug price thing happened.

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#22

Post by jcoffland » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:29 PM UTC

The good news is that the Wu Tang album Shkreli bought is forfeit and can now presumably be released to the public.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/05/590980850...

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#23

Post by daxorid » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:29 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #8

ryanlol wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'illegal is illegal' is not at all how sentencing works. Edit: Not sure if you guys are aware of this, but sentencing is actually completely separate from the part of the trial where they decide whether you're guilty or not.

Unfortunately it's how he got into the mess. Without illegal actions there are no sentencing procedures.

It's not quite that easy, unfortunately. The vast majority of us, just by sheer ignorance of the contents of the enormous Federal Register, unknowingly commit at least a few federal felonies per year.

If the Feds want you in prison, they'll find a way.

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#24

Post by vernie » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:29 PM UTC

gfosco wrote: post #6

sincerely wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

illegal is illegal

of course, but 7 years is a very long time. It could have been shorter, considering the lack of actual damages.

Well if it's any consolation he'll probably be out in 3.

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#25

Post by toomuchtodo » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:31 PM UTC

bhouston wrote: post #5

He was so obnoxious that I guess it is easy to be happy about that, but he was so small time in the grand scheme of things. But nearly no bankers responsible for the 2008 financial crisis ever went to jail: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/09/how-wal...

One banker did. For 30 months.

I think Shkreli was obnoxious and crude; the sentencing should've aligned with the crime. But America, so vengeance porn.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/magazine/only-one-top-ban...

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#26

Post by pmarreck » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:32 PM UTC

Possibly the only man that has caused me to feel bad for a troll. I don't think he deserved this. And it will pretty much only legitimize him as "gangsta"

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#27

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:33 PM UTC

ModernMech wrote: post #7

gfosco wrote: post #2

Harsh sentence for a case where all the money was paid back.

"Your honor, I must protest this sentence! After all, my clients paid back all the money they stole from the bank!"

[deleted]

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#28

Post by anonytrary » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:34 PM UTC

Clubber wrote: post #20

Here's what we just witnessed. 1. Companies were cornering certain drugs, then hiking their prices up significantly. Shkrelli did the same thing (but stated he was willing to give it free for anyone who asked). Note, that this is not illegal in any way, but news was all over it and citizens were pissed. 2. Shkrelli, being outspoken, became the focus of this issue. He dug a hole for himself, but concerning drug prices…

This. There's a bigger problem we need to deal with. The system. The laws. The government. The banks. The Federal Reserve. If there was a Statist 101 course, this entire 300-year project would get a D, maybe a C. It's atrocious, and we all accept it because we are sheep who need protection from the big bad wolves of the world. Eventually, it will become clear that there is one big bad wolf we should really fear.

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#29

Post by justboxing » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:34 PM UTC

Clubber wrote: post #20

Here's what we just witnessed. 1. Companies were cornering certain drugs, then hiking their prices up significantly. Shkrelli did the same thing (but stated he was willing to give it free for anyone who asked). Note, that this is not illegal in any way, but news was all over it and citizens were pissed. 2. Shkrelli, being outspoken, became the focus of this issue. He dug a hole for himself, but concerning drug prices…

[RETRACTED]

Re: Martin Shkreli has been sentenced to seven years in prison

#30

Post by dragonwriter » Fri, Mar 09, 2018, 7:38 PM UTC

vernie wrote: post #24

gfosco wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

of course, but 7 years is a very long time. It could have been shorter, considering the lack of actual damages.

Well if it's any consolation he'll probably be out in 3.

> Well if it's any consolation he'll probably be out in 3.

The US federal criminal justice system has no parole; other than Presidential pardon or commutation, or the sentence being overturned judicially, you stay in prison for the full term of your sentence, reduced by a maximum of 54 days per year of sentence by good conduct credits. So, best case for a seven year sentence is just under six years.