Judge Rules Lawsuit Accusing Martin Shkreli Of Illegally Copying Rare Wu-Tang Clan Album Can Proceed

After a lawsuit was filed by PleasrDAO, owners of Wu-Tang Clan’s album, “Once Upon A Time in Shaolin,” accusing convicted pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli of making copies of the album, against the conditions of not keeping any and playing it online without permission, a judge has ruled that the suit can go on.

According to Reuters, U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen ruled that Shkreli must face PleasrDAO’s claims that he misappropriated “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” in a 32-page decision Sept. 25. The company is looking for unspecified damages and profits, and is requesting that Shkreli return the copies of the album he is allegedly in possession of.

The lawsuit was filed last summer after the convicted felon allegedly admitted in livestreams that he made copies of the rare Wu-Tang Clan offering, and he played the album for his followers. PleasrDAO claimed that he responded online to a post by a PleasrDAO member who posted a picture of the album on the social media platform X, by writing, “LOL i have the mp3s you moron.”

Based on the judge’s decision, Steven Cooper, an attorney for PleasrDAO, will “fully and aggressively” pursue its case against Shkreli.

Shkreli did obtain a partial victory when Chen dismissed other claims, including two she said were preempted by federal copyright law. A lawyer for the controversial executive, Edward Paltzik, said that the dismissal of some of the claims is “a significant step forward in our effort to vindicate Mr. Shkreli, who we unequivocally believe engaged in absolutely zero wrongdoing.”

In 2015, Shkreli bought the Wu-Tang Clan album at an auction for $2 million. In 2017, he was arrested and convicted of securities fraud. The government seized the album and other property he owned. In 2021, PleasrDAO allegedly bought the album from the government for $4 million.