Martin Shkreli Faces Contempt Bid

The FTCFederal Trade CommissionUnited States federal government agency and attorneys general from seven states asked a federal judge to hold Martin ShkreliMartin ShkreliAmerican businessman and convicted felon in civil contempt. They allege he repeatedly violated his lifetime ban from the pharmaceutical industry after his May 2022 prison release. The ban followed a court finding that Shkreli helped block generic competition for Daraprim, whose price rose from $17.50 to $750 per tablet. The court also ordered him to pay $64.6 million. The injunction bars him from owning pharmaceutical stakes or influencing company decisions. Shkreli called the action an assault on his First Amendment rights. Regulators want stock divestment, profit-based fines, and escalating penalties. The judge has not ruled.