Twitter Takes Away 'Pharma Bro' Tweeting Privileges For Being An Internet Creep

The world knows Martin Shkreli mostly for his controversial decision to crank up the price of an essential drug by 5,000 percent, earning him the moniker “Pharma Bro.” On Sunday, his Twitter account was suspended following a series of harassment Tweets directed at a female journalist.

The journalist in question is Lauren Duca and according to unnamed sources, she has been the subject of unwanted attention from Shkreli for several days, Boston Globe reports. The whole thing reportedly started after Duca’s appearance at a Fox News show hosted by Tucker Carlson where the two butted heads.

Before coming on, Duca had written a scathing article titled “Donald Trump is gaslighting America,” which was published in Teen Vogue. The Fox News host didn’t take kindly to how the president-elect was portrayed and made it known. After appearing on the show, Duca received numerous threats. Several days later, Shkreli started Tweeting the journalist with suggestive comments.

In one post, Shkreli asked Duca to be his plus-one during Trump’s inauguration, to which she responded by Tweeting “I would rather eat my own organs.” The pharmaceutical executive followed that up by posting photoshopped images of him and Duca, which the latter found inappropriate.

As a result of his actions, Twitter decided that it would be better for Shkreli to take some time off the micro-blogging service, confirming his suspension to the media via email. After the suspension, Duca made her own Tweet, wondering at how women immediately get harassed the moment they start getting attention for their work, Reuters reports.

"Why is harassment an automatic career hazard for a woman receiving any amount of professional attention?" Duca’s Tweet reads.

Considering what Shkreli is known to have done, which led to his dismissal as head of Turing Pharmaceuticals, this news might seem benign in comparison. However, it is indicative of a habit by “Pharma Bro” to not care about what anyone thought of his actions.