Federal Bureau of Investigation

Ex-Pharma Chief Martin Shkreli Tweets $10M Bid for New Kanye Album

"Instead of releasing this product for your millions of fans, I ask you to sell this recording solely to me"

An infamous former pharmaceutical CEO, known for raising the price on drugs and later for spending millions on a rap album, has offered $10 million to buy Kanye West's hotly anticipated new record.

Martin Shkreli, who has been charged with securities fraud in connection with a drug company he ran, tweeted the offer Thursday, while West was holding a fashion show and album-listening party.

The album's name has changed several times, but West has most recently dubbed it "The Life of Pablo." It was being debuted at the sold-out fashion show at Madison Square Garden.

"Instead of releasing this product for your millions of fans, I ask you to sell this recording solely to me, for the price of $10,000,000," Shkreli wrote in a letter addressed to West that the former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO tweeted.

It wasn't clear if Shkreli was kidding and West didn't immediately reply to him on Twitter. But there is at least precedent for the bid.

The 32-year-old emerged as the winner in an auction for the newest Wu-Tang Clan album, paying a reported $2 million for sole ownership of the album for many years.

That earned Shkreli further derision from the public, which was already outraged by the news he had bought Turing and raised prices of a life-saving drug fiftyfold.

FBI agents arrested Shkreli in December, and he faces seven counts of securities fraud connected to his activity as CEO of another company, Retrophin. Shkreli has denied the allegations and said he will prevail in court.

Shkreli said in the letter he tweeted Thursday that he was inspired to succeed by West's breakthrough album, "The College Dropout."

"I have discussed this offer with several investment banks and counsel which would assist me in this acquisition," he said.

In another tweet, he claimed, "Kanye and his label are legally required to take my offer letter to their Board of Directors. This should delay the album by a few days."

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