Martin Shkreli’s Twitter, Periscope accounts suspended following reports of harassment

Published time: 8 Jan, 2017 20:38 Edited time: 9 Jan, 2017 04:45

“Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli has been suspended from Twitter and Periscope after he was reported for harassing writer Lauren Duca, and turning his account into a shrine to her.

@laurenduca @jack This might be the single creepiest thing I've ever seen on Twitter.
— Jordan Weissmann (@JHWeissmann) January 8, 2017

It all started when journalist Lauren Duca caught the attention of the former pharmaceutical executive - famed for raising the price of HIV medication by more than 5,000 per cent - after she made a number of media appearances that were critical of Donald Trump.

Shkreli, a Trump supporter, then sent her a direct message asking her to be his plus one to the presidential inauguration.

I would rather eat my own organs pic.twitter.com/IgeCRZqk8w
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) January 5, 2017

Duca replied: “I would rather eat my own organs” which only seems to have attracted Shkreli even more.

@jack wt actual f is this?!@laurenduca please let me know where I can send all the wine in the world pic.twitter.com/rVhK454Zwv
— Stephanie Lenore (@StephanieLenore) January 8, 2017

On Sunday, Duca tweeted a disturbing screengrab of Shkreli’s Twitter profile which featured a photograph of Duca and her husband in which Shkreli had photoshopped his own head to cover her husband’s. His profile read: “I have a small crush on @laurenduca (hope she doesn’t find out).”

@summerbrennan @laurenduca @jack hoooooooly shit that's creepy
— Jamie McKelvie (@McKelvie) January 8, 2017

His cover photo was a collage of images of Duca, with the words: “For better or worse, till death do us part, I love you with every beat of my heart,” presumably the lyrics to 'I Swear' by All-4-One.

He had also tweeted that he had purchased the domain name “marrymelauren.com”.

“How is this allowed,” Duca wrote, tagging Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.

How is this allowed @jack pic.twitter.com/Wof8MlYHTL
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) January 8, 2017

Many others were horrified by the tweet, and posted their complaints to Dorsey.

@laurenduca @jack This looks like a kidnapping film.
— Noman Ansari (@Pugnate) January 8, 2017

When @MartinShkreli turns his Twitter profile into a serial killer shrine of @laurenduca & @jack does shit. https://t.co/eAPM0rUIlq
— Tarah Wheeler (@tarah) January 8, 2017

@laurenduca @jack Reported for harassment
— Hadley Freeman (@HadleyFreeman) January 8, 2017

@Karnythia @laurenduca @jack exactly. He knows exactly what he's doing and it's malicious. I reported his tweets & wish we could report pic
— uhhlizabeth (@ekingc) January 8, 2017

@ekingc @laurenduca @jack It's not just casually creepy either. It's stalking behavior.
— Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) January 8, 2017

@laurenduca @jack reported this lizard for targeted harassment. Bringing this to @cagoldberglaw's attention, who can hopefully help.
— Iva (@ivadixit) January 8, 2017

Dorsey responded to the many reports and Shkreli’s account was suspended.

Glad to see Twitter suspend Martin Shkreli. His bizzare obsession with respected journalist @laurenduca is creepy and wildly innapropriate.
— Brianna Wu (@Spacekatgal) January 8, 2017

@Eden_Eats @laurenduca pic.twitter.com/Pb5XOmT7MR
— OhNoSheTwitnt (@OhNoSheTwitnt) January 8, 2017

@ivadixit @laurenduca @jack Where's the antiparasite drug when u need it? Oh, forgot: price went up 10,000%.
— Carrie A. Goldberg (@cagoldberglaw) January 8, 2017