Federal Judge Orders Shkreli to Surrender Wu-Tang Album Copies Under Court Injunction
A federal judge has ordered Martin Shkreli to surrender all copies of Wu-Tang Clan's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" album by August 30th, as part of a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by PleasrDAO.
RZA from Wu-Tang spraying water
The rare album, released in 2015 with only one physical copy, was originally purchased by Shkreli for $2 million. After his securities conviction, authorities seized the asset, which PleasrDAO later acquired for $4.75 million.
PleasrDAO filed the lawsuit claiming Shkreli retained unauthorized copies of the album's data and files after the forfeiture, potentially planning to release them publicly. This action violates the Defend Trade Secrets Act, according to the lawsuit.
Judge Pamela K. Chen's order requires Shkreli to:
- Turn over all copies of the album in any form by August 30th
- Sign an affidavit confirming he no longer possesses the 31-track album
- Provide names and contact information of anyone who received copies
- Submit documentation of any financial proceeds from the album
The court warns that any violation of these terms may result in contempt charges.
Martin Shkreli speaking at podium
The ruling comes after a preliminary injunction hearing where the court found "sufficiently serious questions" about potential violations and risks of "immediate and irreparable injury" to PleasrDAO. Shkreli has responded to the situation on social media, commenting on the NFT sales of the album and addressing reports of the preliminary injunction.