Martin Shkreli Becomes a Father with Unusual Baby Name
Martin Shkreli, often remembered as the controversial former pharmaceutical executive dubbed “Pharma Bro,” recently welcomed a child into the world, opting for an unconventional name.
In a video shared on X, Shkreli announced the birth of his baby, Torque “Ezmoney $Taxx” Shkreli. The clip features the infant, accompanied by the cheerful message, “Welcome to the world!” It’s unclear if this unique name will make it onto the official birth certificate.
A voice in the video, presumably a friend or family member, remarks on the baby’s “big head,” while others note the infant’s weight of 7 pounds and 7 ounces.
On X, Shkreli expressed gratitude to several wealthy individuals who wanted to celebrate the occasion, but he also faced backlash from some who took the opportunity to remind him of his troubled past as “Pharma Bro.”
One user, Skoti, congratulated him and humorously commented on the duration of his soon-to-be fatherhood, to which Shkreli replied, “I said anything about humans.”
Another user jokingly suggested that the baby “looks evil” and quipped about the child potentially making a fortune from Shkreli’s misfortunes. Shkreli’s response was simply, “Hahahaha late.”
Details about the child’s mother remain undisclosed.
After his release from prison, Shkreli created a Google Sheet inviting women to sign up for potential dates. This document included various questions about personal attributes and preferences, with women able to choose a time slot for their meet-up with him.
The form even had a mention of applicants being screened before their “first date,” with a two-week approval period and specific time blocks reserved for activities with friends.
Christy Smythe, a journalist who covered Shkreli’s trial, found herself in a relationship with him after visiting him in prison. She even made significant life changes, including quitting her job and freezing her eggs, to pursue their relationship, which drew a lot of public scrutiny.
By 2022-23, Smythe had begun seeing other people but often referred to her experience with Shkreli as a pivotal moment in her life.
Shkreli, now 42, gained notoriety as the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals in 2015 for drastically increasing the price of Daraprim, a crucial medication for AIDS patients. This decision led to widespread outrage and cemented his reputation as a symbol of greed in the pharmaceutical industry.
Despite the publicity from the Daraprim scandal, Shkreli was convicted in 2017 for unrelated securities fraud tied to misleading investors and stock manipulation with the biotechnology company Retrophin. He received a seven-year prison sentence and was released to community confinement before his discharge in 2022.
The legal challenges didn’t end there; after his release, a federal judge barred him from working in the pharmaceutical industry for life. This ruling was upheld by an appellate court in 2024, and later that year, he was ordered to repay $64.6 million in profits generated from Daraprim’s monopoly.
Despite the lifetime ban, Shkreli remains a divisive figure, actively engaging with supporters online. His announcement of fatherhood, complete with the intriguing name “ezmoney $taxx,” suggests that he hasn’t lost his provocative edge.
For years, he has embraced his role as both a villain and an instigator, infamously labeled “the most hated man in America.” He has closely monitored media coverage of his life, infamously purchased the sole copy of a Wu-Tang Clan album for $2 million, and held his ground against critics during his trial.
