- Martin Shkreli bragged that Sam Bankman-Fried asked him for advice on serving prison time.
- Shkreli did an interview with Tucker Carlson and said he told Bankman-Fried to "learn slang" and "invent a backstory."
Infamous "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, who was released from federal prison last year, bragged to Tucker Carlson that Sam Bankman-Fried asked him for advice on serving time in the slammer as the disgraced FTX founder faces the prospect of more than 100 years behind bars.
Shkreli said in a newly-published episode of Carlson's show on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, that he told Bankman-Fried he should "learn rap music," "learn slang" and "invent a backstory" for himself should the failed crypto mogul end up in prison.
A rep for Bankman-Fried, Mark Botnick, declined to comment on Shkreli's interview on Tuesday but said that he couldn't confirm that "such a conversation happened" between Bankman-Fried and Shkreli.
On Carlson's show, Shkreli — a notorious internet troll whose antics previously got him banned from Twitter — boasted about the purported chat with Bankman-Fried.
"Sam's from an upper class, you know, family in California. He's never been around, you know, minorities, let alone, you know, inner-city minorities, who have a very different way of life," Shkreli told the ousted Fox News host during the hour-long interview.
Ep. 36 What happens when you give Hillary Clinton the finger? Ask Martin Shkreli. He did four and a half years in prison. That may be why Sam Bankman-Fried just asked his advice on doing time. pic.twitter.com/vMGiqDk4tR
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) November 6, 2023
Shkreli, who served more than four years at a low-security Pennsylvania prison after he was convicted of securities fraud in 2017, said he told Bankman-Fried that he should present himself in prison not as "Sam Bankman the businessman," but as "Sam Bankman from Oakland."
Shkreli said Bankman-Fried, found guilty last week of all seven criminal counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering against him, asked him whether there would be internet in prison.
"I said, 'no Sam, there's no internet in prison. If you can smuggle a cell phone in in somebody's butt or something, maybe you can, you know, find a way to get, you know, some cell phone reception. But no, there's no internet kiosk where you can go play video games. It's a rough place,'" Shkreli recalled to Carlson.
Additionally, Shkreli told Carlson that he believed Bankman-Fried would "most likely" go to prison for a "long time" and that he would be "screwed" behind bars.
"This is going to be tough for him," Shkreli said of Bankman-Fried.
On the other hand, Shkreli boasted about his time in prison, saying that he made a lot of friends, got to experience "four fascinating years of life," and read hundreds of books.
"I think one of the reasons that I was successful in prison — I have many friends from there — is that I understand, you know, I grew up in Brooklyn, melting pot. I understand minorities. We had a lot in common," Shkreli said.