Prosecutors ask judge to gag ex-pharmaceuticals CEO Shkreli
NEW YORK — Prosecutors want a judge to make “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli stop talking and filed a motion on Monday asking that he and all attorneys in his criminal case be ordered to refrain from making any statements outside court.
Shkreli, a former pharmaceutical company CEO most notorious for raising the price of a lifesaving drug by 5,000 per cent while at another company, is on trial for charges of federal securities fraud.
In the motion, federal prosecutors told U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto that Shkreli has interacted with the media since the jury for his trial was picked, in the courthouse, outside and on digital media. They said his statements risk tainting the jury.
“Shkreli appears determined to ignore the instructions of defence counsel and to wage his own public relations campaign against the witnesses and the government during the trial,” prosecutors said.