Fans dismayed as pharma CEO Martin Shkreli revealed as Wu-Tang album buyer

NEW YORK, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Fans reacted with dismay as controversial Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli was revealed Wednesday as the buyer of the Wu-Tang Clan's one-of-a-kind album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin.

Bloomberg reported Shkreli as the buyer.

Earlier this year, Shkreli became one of the most despised men in America when his company acquired Daraprim, a drug used to treat AIDS and cancer patients, and then raised the price from $13.50 to $750 a pill.

In a statement emailed to Bloomberg Businessweek, Wu-Tang co-founder and producer RZA wrote, "The sale of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin was agreed upon in May, well before Martin Shkreli's business practices came to light. We decided to give a significant portion of the proceeds to charity."

Known for flaunting his wealth and success online, Shkreli took to Twitter to talk about his plans to buy more private albums.

"If there is a curious gap in your favorite artist's discography, well, now you know why," he wrote before sharing a link to a youtube livestream where he teased fans that he "may play something special."

Shkreli did not play any tracks from Once Upon A Time in Shaolin however and instead interacted with Wu-Tang fans who were begging the CEO to play at least one song from the album. "Album is in a vault," he replied. "I probably won't listen to it for years."

Fans have continued to tweet Shkreli throughout Wednesday asking him to release the album for all to hear while also expressing their distaste for the man and question why he would spend $2 million on an album. "Do the right thing and give it away." San Francisco restaurant Wing Wings tweeted while user Jon Black wrote, "You got picked on a lot didn't you. This is exactly what someone who has not known kindness does when they have power(money)."

The 31-track album was sold through online auction house Paddle8 in November and contractually bounds Shkreli from selling the music commercially for 88 years. According to RZA, all of Wu-Tang's surviving members are featured on the album along with a guest appearance from Cher.