A mere two days after Pharma Felon Martin Shkreli posted his one-of-a-kind, $2 million Wu-Tang Clan album on eBay, bids have already shot up to a startling $1,000,200.
It remains unclear if the 34-year-old actually intends to sell the ”Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” CD, which he first listed for $1 Tuesday night, or is just stoking hype.
“At any time I may cancel this sale and I may even break this album in frustration,” the post reads, noting he has not “carefully listened to the album.”
Shkreli has incrementally released tracks of “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” – which he describes in his listing as “like new” – on his Facebook and YouTube livestreams.
He’s first believed to have played a song to commemorate Donald Trump’s election victory, and then again put on the CD following his August conviction on multiple counts of securities fraud – which he continues to tout as a victory.
The ever wealth-conscious Shkreli made sure potential buyers know the alleged sale isn’t because he’s strapped for funds – even though he’s repeatedly said his defense attorneys cost millions, and was named in July as No. 14 on named in July as No. 14 on New York state’s list of top Delinquent Taxpayers for $4 million in backed taxes.
“I am not selling to raise cash–my companies and I have record amounts of cash on hand,” he wrote alongside the listing. “I hope on the I hope someone with a bigger heart for music can be found for this one-of-a-kind piece and makes it available for the world to hear.”
Shkreli bought the album from the Staten Island hip-hop group in 2015.
“I decided to purchase this album as a gift to the Wu-Tang Clan,” he wrote. “Instead I received scorn from at least one of their (least-intelligent) members, and the world at large failed to see my purpose of putting a serious value behind music.”
A sentencing date has yet to be set for Shkreli, who faces up to 20 years behind bars.
The auction is expected to close Sept. 15. Shkreli has said he’ll donate half the proceeds to medical research.