Martin Shkreli Chokes Up As He Gets Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison

“Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli has not had a good week. The 34-year old entrepreneur was given his punishment this week for lying to investors in two failed hedge funds as well as cheating these investors out of millions of dollars.

This is a man that his own lawyer admitted to wanting to punch in the face and the Judge did not feel much sympathy.

U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto gave Shkreli a seven year sentence. Though this was more than the 18 months Shkreli’s lawyer asked for, it is also less than the 15 years prosecutors were fighting for.

Shkreli also has to pay a fine of $75,000 and the Judge ruled earlier that he must forfeit the over $7.3 million in brokerage account and personal assets.

Skhreli choked as he admitted to the mistakes he has made and offered an apology to the investors he swindled.

“I’m not the same person I was,” Shkreli said. “I know right from wrong. I know what it means to tell the truth and what it means to lie.”

“The only person to blame for me being here today is me. There is no conspiracy to take down Martin Shkreli. I took down Martin Shkreli,” he continued.

“Mr. Shkreli is not a child,” federal prosecutor Jacquelyn Kasulis had said. “He’s not a teenager who just needs some mentoring. He is a man who needs to take responsibility for his actions.”

Shkreli was found guilty of the charges last August.