The notorious "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli continues to cause headaches for the new owner of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan album.
This week, Shkreli managed to evade court sanctions in his ongoing legal dispute with PleasrDAO, the crypto collective that now possesses Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, the extremely rare Wu-Tang Clan album he acquired in 2015.
Judge Pamela K. Chen determined that although Shkreli had been slow in complying with court orders, his actions did not reach the threshold required to impose sanctions for bad faith.
PleasrDAO had sought penalties, including attorney's fees, claiming that Shkreli had delayed revealing how he distributed unauthorized copies of the unique album.
Shkreli's legal woes stem from accusations that he improperly leaked parts of the Wu-Tang project after selling it following a government asset seizure.
Despite delays and inconsistencies in his disclosures, the judge ruled that his behavior did not warrant sanctions, as the bar for bad faith is high.
The saga of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin dates back to Wu-Tang Clan recording the album over six years in secret as a commentary on art's worth in the digital era.
In 2015, Wu-Tang sold the album to Shkreli for $2 million under an agreement prohibiting its public release for 88 years.
Shkreli, known for his pharmaceutical controversies, added to the album's notoriety by teasing excerpts on social media and showcasing his possession of it.
Following his conviction for securities fraud in 2017, the federal government seized his assets, including the album. PleasrDAO bought the album in 2021, positioning it as a significant cultural artifact.
The latest courtroom battle arose when PleasrDAO accused Shkreli of breaching legal agreements by leaking portions of the album. Despite various claims and delays, Shkreli narrowly avoided sanctions after finally complying in February 2025.
While Shkreli escaped further penalties, the ongoing legal dispute over the leaks adds another twist to the perplexing saga of Hip-Hop's most enigmatic album and the efforts to hold Martin Shkreli accountable for his actions.