"PharmaBro" Martin Shkreli is auctioning off a chance to hit him in the face

Life
ByJames Dennin

Disgraced former pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli isn't exactly known for his magnanimity, but his latest stunt seems almost generous.

The "PharmaBro" announced via Twitter on Monday that he would be auctioning off a chance to punch him in the face, with the proceeds going to help the family of Mike Kulich, Shkreli's former publicist who died Saturday from unknown causes. 

Shkreli — who came into the public eye in 2015, after raising the price of HIV medication Daraprim by 5000% — claims bids began pouring in quickly, and that at least one anonymous donor offered $78,000 for the honor. 

That's actually when the situation got complicated, Shkreli explained via a direct message to Mic.

Shkreli claimed that he tried to move the auction to eBay, but the auction side removed his listing, and that other auction sites have similarly refused to list his offer. eBay did not reply to a request for comment by press time.

Now Shkreli says he has found a workaround, switching from an auction to a raffle, with each additional dollar donated increasing your odds of a victory. 

"Lots of fake bidders ... think this is a joke," Shkreli wrote. "[But] Mike was not in great financial health, especially given his son's illness." 

If you're not lining up to punch him, the winner will, alternatively, have the option of simply meeting Shkreli — or going out with him on a dinner date. 

You could also send a surrogate, maybe: Shkreli responded in the affirmative when one prospective bidder asked if Mike Tyson could deliver the punch in his stead.

As of Wednesday morning, the campaign had raised more than $7,000.