Convicted former hedge-fund manager and pharmacy company executive Martin Shkreli has some advice for Sam Bankman-Fried about serving jail time. Namely, shave your head, deepen your voice and listen to lots of rap music.
Shkreli, the so-called “pharma bro” who was released from prison earlier this year after serving five years for a case involving defrauding investors, offered the tips when he recently appeared on Laura Shin’s podcast “Unchained.”
Crypto executive Bankman-Fried, or SBF as he’s known, is awaiting trial on fraud and criminal charges following the collapse of his FTX exchange. Following his extradition from the Bahamas to the U.S., he was released on a $250 million bond last week.
But if convicted, SBF is looking at a long prison sentence — up to 115 yearssome reports have noted.
Shkreli said SBF doesn’t strike him as someone who’s ready for convict life, describing him as “a bit of an effeminate guy” with an autistic-type demeanor. “Sam isn’t exactly going to be somebody that fits into prison,” he said.
So, Shkreli gave SBF a laundry list of things to do, including head shaving, voice deepening, and rap listening. He also said SBF should give himself a crash course in criminal culture — in particular, learning “everything there is to know about gangs, about the tough neighborhoods in every major city.”
Over the years, numerous ex-convicts have weighed in with other advice to those awaiting prison — in fact, there are now consultants who specialize in this field. Shkreli’s advice was clearly given more in an off-the-cuff fashion, but he said his tips shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“This could save your life,” Shkreli said.