Martin Shkreli is a sacrificial wolf

[Cal Carpenter]

That's what I said to my spouse this morning. I'll use the words of Ian Welsh to expand on the thought, as he is far more eloquent than I:

"Securities arrests don’t happen by accident, and they don’t happen just because someone has committed securities fraud. There is so much securities fraud that practically anyone involved the markets beyond the retail investor level could be charged with something. Many investigations are ongoing at any given time, only a few can or will be prosecuted and prosecuting someone as rich as Shkreli is always a political decision.

This is a message.

Rook the proles as much as you want, but don’t scream it to the world. We have a good thing going here, sonny, and we don’t tolerate people who might wreck it.

Despite his cartoon villain behaviour, Shkrell is far from the worst CEO in America.

Billionaires may do as they please. The only rule is “don’t destroy the game”."

http://www.ianwelsh.net/martin-shkreli-arrested-for-securities-fraud/

I'm happy to see some semblance of justice in this case, but he's like the one cockroach you see vs the hundreds scurrying behind the walls...

[HughBeaumont]

1. Yep. Nobody gives a shit 'til you screw over the 1%.

Profiteering from sick poor people = social pariah, but nonetheless legal.

[Warpy]

26. Right, it's the only reason Madoff got nabbed, he robbed the rich

At least now we know why Shkreli was so desperate for fast money that he did something egregious enough to be noticed by the press. I just wonder how many other drug prices are being jacked up just below the radar for the same reason.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. While this is most likely true, I'm still delighted that at least Shrkeli

might be getting his just desserts.

Don't harsh my mellow.

[H2O Man]

3. I both agree and

respectfully disagree. While he is a sacrificial turd being flushed by that corrupt system, I must disagree with the word "merely" -- because he is more than that. Much more.

I agree with the rest of the OP. Recommended.

[Cal Carpenter]

4. It's funny, I added that word at the last second.

You have a point, so I may have to remove it....

Thanks for the rec

eta: yeah, given the very dangerous and immediate real-world consequences of his behavior, there is nothing 'mere' about it.

[H2O Man]

6. The guy is a toxic

parasite. His smugness is revoltingly offensive. He really believed that he was "untouchable." But, as the OP makes clear, he offended the wrong people -- who happen to be the only ones who could touch him. And for the exact reasons you noted: his desire to be high profile in an organized criminal enterprise, which demands secrecy.

Your OP is, by far, the most important on DU. Thank you for posting it!

[MisterP]

15. he's a sponge flushed down the toilet

[H2O Man]

16. !!!!

[MisterP]

18. someone else noted he was Hugo from "Devil DOll"

/

[H2O Man]

19. Yikes!

I will admit that when I saw this fellow's smug grin for the first time on television, it reminded me of the type of kid that the young and pre-nonviolent H2O Man would feel compelled to swat in junior high school.

[Oilwellian]

22. LOL...I loved Mystery Science Theater! nt

[Katashi_itto]

5. Personally I like the guy. At least he was an honest sociopath.

[napkinz]

7. you forgot the pic ...

[olddots]

8. He will be staring in Wall Street 3 this spring

after a month at Club Fed .

[bklyncowgirl]

9. They got Al Capone on tax evasion

The problem is that what he did with the drug prices while reprehensible was not illegal. I do agree that he's a sacrifice to divert the masses, that would be you and me, I am happy to see him go down.

[jwirr]

10. I think you are right about that. Our government does not

want to interfere with commerce so they are not going after regulations that would stop this totally but they need to send a message - cut that out - and the easiest way to do it is to prosecute one guy everyone dislikes.

I look for this to happen regarding the hatred toward American Muslims also. They will need to send a message that this discrimination and hatred will not be tolerated.

[2naSalit]

11. He was so totally

smug while spilling the beans.. of course he deserve to be the one selected to do a public per-walk so that business can go on as usual behind the "scenes".

[yurbud]

13. good analysis.

[Dorian Gray]

14. You could just look at it like this:

He's so disgusting that even the 1% find him distasteful and don't want to protect him anymore.

[Oilwellian]

23. He was exposing the game

They can always do as they wish. They just can't be brazen about it.

[Cal Carpenter]

24. Exactly this

He was too public about it. But comparable things happen all the time and stay behind the scenes.

[B Calm]

17. Corporate Ass Kissing Republicans will point and say Big Government

punishing job creators.

[stillwaiting]

20. He wanted to be one of them. He thought he WAS one of them. They said NOPE.

Richly deserved.

[kenfrequed]

21. Yup

It is like Martha Stewart or Bernie Madoff. They have to prosecute someone once or twice a decade to inspire condidence in a system that does not work.

[karadax]

25. My guess ? A powerful Wu-Tang fan was outbid and

Got revenge. Music transcends.

[Kalidurga]

27. I hope they get that record from him

and play it on all the news networks.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

28. Some of these assholes think they're HEROES of Capitalism....

Some even believe the public thinks that way too.

Seriously.

Like we're singing songs in praise of them.

[Starry Messenger]

29. The perp walk picture brought joy to the season though. ;)

Too bad they couldn't arrest one a day before Xmas, a kind of advent calendar!

[Cal Carpenter]

30. That is true

I sure would love to see a month full of perp walks for asshole wealth-stealing capitalist pigs in my lifetime