A former pharmaceuticals chief, who hiked the price of a life-saving medicine by more than five thousand percent, has refused to testify in front of
ADVERTISEMENTA former pharmaceuticals chief, who hiked the price of a life-saving medicine by more than five thousand percent, has refused to testify in front of lawmakers.
Martin Shkreli, who used to head up Turing Pharmaceuticals, used a Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, as he was questioned by a House of Representatives committee.
“On the advice of counsel, I invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege against incrimination and respectfully decline to answer your question,” said Shkreli.
After brushing off questions, the 32-year-old then tweeted that lawmakers were “imbeciles.”
Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) February 4, 2016
Shkreli sparked outrage last year when he acquired Turing Pharmaceuticals and raised the price of the drug Daraprim to 750 US dollars (670 euros) a pill.
The medicine, used to treat a parasitic infection, once sold for one dollar (less than one euro) a pill and has been on the market for more than 60 years.
Shkreli also faces separate criminal charges of securities fraud in connection with another drug company he owned.