Pharma CEO Martin Shkreli’s Twitter Account Apparently Hacked

After a busy couple of days being arrested and charged with securities fraud, posting $5 million bail, and losing his job as CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, Martin Shkreli unwound by live streaming.

The much-loathed former executive and perpetual online troll appeared to have his Twitter account hacked Sunday afternoon, with a series of lewd messages suddenly appearing days after his arrest for alleged securities fraud.

Federal prosecutors in NY allege that Shkreli – also a former hedge fund manager – lost funds and consequently looted $11 million from a pharmaceutical company he led in order to pay back disgruntled clients. Turing’s chairman, Ron Tilles, will take over as CEO on an interim basis.

Martin Shkreli, a lightning rod for growing outrage over soaring prescription drug prices, was arrested by the FBI after a federal investigation.

They co-founded another pharmaceutical company, Retrophin Inc (RTRX.O), that is at the centre of the securities fraud charges against Shkreli. By his early 20s, Shkreli had his own hedge fund – and had a reputation as an outspoken short seller, or investor who bets a stock’s price will decline. Photos of him, wearing a gray hoodie as he was escorted by authorities, spread on the Internet like wildfire, generating social media posts celebrating his apparent fall.

At the time Shkreli claimed he wanted to buy SeraCare, his hedge fund was actually suffering steep losses, Thursday’s unsealed indictment alleges.

Shkreli said the company would cut the price of Daraprim. “Thanks for the support”. A spokesman for Turing said Tilles would not be granting interviews. The company also added that it was thankful to Martin for his help in building Turing Pharmaceuticals into a dynamic company with focus on research. There’s no word yet on whether he’ll remain at the helm there.

The charges state he used those resources to pay off debts from other business dealings, according to Bloomberg.

“Shkreli has become the Wolf of Pharma Street – he’s basically come to represent everything that was bad and wrong with pharma”, Art Caplan, a medical ethicist at New York University, said by phone.