Woman documents Tinder date with Martin Shkreli AKA Pharma scoundrel
Jacklyn Collier, a New York resident, matched with Martin Shkreli on dating app Tinder and after establishing that he wasn’t a Catfish, embarked on a dating experience with one of America’s most hated men.
The man behind the 2015 pharmaceutical nightmare, Shkreli, was responsible for hiking up the price of Daraprim from U$13.50 to US$750 a pill. The drug is mostly used by those with the AIDS virus and the price hike made it virtually impossible for many Americans to access the drug.
Collier said she had “a pretty good time”, which was surprising considering Shkreli's public image. Shkreli had “super liked” Collier, an actor, writer and producer, on Tinder which eventually led to the duo meeting in the impressive New York hotspot, Japanese restaurant Brushstroke.
In Collier's own words, the infamous millionaire came across as shy and meek, which surprised her greatly as she, like the rest of the world, had watched an arrogant Shkreli in all his interviews following his highly publicised business move.
Shkreli was apparently polite and attentive, making sure there was a vegetarian menu for his date. He also confessed to being a ‘light weight’ when it came to alcohol, and proceeded to loosen up after one drink.
Shkreli loved “laying it on thick with the philanthropy talk” and even divulged his reserved childhood. According to Collier's account, both his parents had worked as janitors, but Shkreli also boasted of the foundation he started and the apartment he bought for a homeless woman.
“I admit that I also had a fantasy of being the manic pixie dream girl who helped him turn his life around," Collier wrote for the Washington Post. “I pictured us opening an HIV/AIDS clinic together and wandering the streets of New York, handing out wads of cash to homeless people and other strangers.”
RELATED: Turing Pharmaceuticals' Martin Shkreli to lower price of Daraprim tablets following outrage
Despite going smoothly, the date ended in a confronting way for Collier, when Shkreli ordered a $120 cup of tea which he didn’t even like.
“He might as well have eaten a $100 bill in front of me,” Collier recounts.
The Tinder date proved futile, and Shkreli lent his personal driver to Collier for a ride home. And while Collier says she couldn’t make a judgement on his morale fibre after one date, she acquiesces that “he’s a lot more interesting and complex than I would have imagined.”
Shkreli may not be enjoying any more Tinder dates soon as he is currently facing fraud charges from the FBI. He resigned from Turing Pharmaceuticals after his arrest in December 2015.
