Martin Shkreli

Martín Shkreli is a former pharmaceutical executive who made headlines in 2015 for his role in the price hike of Daraprim, a life-saving medication used to treat a rare genetic disorder called pyrimidine 5'-carboxylate deficiency. Born in 1983 in Brooklyn, New York, Shkreli studied at Baruch College and later earned a degree in economics from New York University. He began his career in finance, working at various firms before co-founding Retrophin, a biotech company focused on treating rare diseases. Shkreli's tenure at Retrophin was marked by controversy, with allegations of mismanagement and embezzlement leading to his eventual departure from the company. In 2014, he founded Turing Pharmaceuticals, which acquired the rights to Daraprim and promptly raised the price from $13.50 to $750 per pill, sparking widespread outrage and criticism. Shkreli's actions were widely condemned, and he was eventually arrested and charged with securities fraud and conspiracy. In 2017, he was convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison, with the judge describing his actions as "a betrayal of the trust placed in him as a pharmaceutical executive."