It was only a matter of time before the supernatural got involved in the Martin Shkreli case.
Turing Pharmaceuticals founder Martin Shkreli came under fire last year after buying the rightsto 62-year-old drug Daraprim, which is used to treat conditions including AIDS-related toxoplasmosis, and jacking up the price to $750 a pill.
The 5500% price rise sparked outrage, but Shkreli refused to back down. He was removed as the company’s CEO after he was arrested over unrelated fraud allegations.
The self-proclaimed ‘Pharma Bro’ has now had a witches’ hex placed on him.
“This is a person who flouts the justice system, and whose affluence shields them from being accountable,” witch Howl told the Daily Dot.
“And they’re really pugnacious about it, and really jerky about it.”
Howl told the Dot that the hex was placed on Shkreli on Ash Wednesday.
The witches involved had a wax effigy of the pharmaceutical businessman at the ceremony, as well as hexing oil and herbs mixed together to cast the spell.
A cloth doll bound with cords of black fabric was present as the witches chanted.
Howl insisted, however, that the spell was not intended to hurt Shkreli, but rather to “restore balance”.
“When people think of casting hexes, it’s like dark and scary magic, the black arts, and they don’t want to get near that,” she said.
“When in reality all we’re trying to do is get justice. The hex is not to bring anyone harm, but to make sure justice is served, and that there is a balance, and that balance is restored.”
“Let’s get together and not just heal ourselves and each other through this process, which is a cathartic process, but also let’s enact justice in a way that we can, as spiritual beings who are empowered to change reality,” Howl continued.
Shkreli appeared before US Congress last month to answer questions about his company’s actions – but heeded his legal counsel’s advice to stay quiet about the incident.
The former CEO seemed detached throughout the hearing, smirking at many of the questions as he declined to answer – and even giggling at one point, while a lawmaker was speaking about the impact of Shkreli’s money-grabbing actions.
US Representative Elijah Cummings rebuked him for the laughter, firing back: “It’s not funny, Mr Shkreli.”