Wu-Tang Clan

Feds Sell Martin Shkreli's Secret Wu-Tang Album – But Won't Say to Who or for How Much

Shkreli bought the only known copy of Wu-Tang Clan's album "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" for $2 million in 2015; it was seized in 2018 as part of the "Pharma Bro"'s asset forfeiture

Three years after seizing a one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album from convicted fraudster Martin Shkreli, the U.S. government has sold off the rare record -- but won't say who bought it or for how much.

In 2015, the brash pharmaceutical executive bought the only known copy of the Wu-Tang Clan's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" for $2 million. He later got into a public dispute with members of the rap group, at one point releasing a bizarre video in which he -- surrounded by masked men -- threatened to erase Ghostface Killah from the album entirely. 

Shkreli was later convicted of securities fraud and is currently serving time in prison.

The government, in papers filed in federal court in Brooklyn, said it wanted Shkreli to forfeit some $7.4 million in assets pursuant to his conviction. A federal judge granted that motion in March 2018 and ordered the forfeiture. It's not clear why it took the government three years to sell the album, but the deal was finally completed Tuesday morning.

"The contract of sale contains a confidentiality provision that protects information relating to the buyer and price," the Justice Department said in a statement.

Shkreli's lawyer Ben Brafman has previously said that forfeiture was "not an appropriate remedy" because none of Shkreli's investors lost money.

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