Shkreli Faces PleasrDAO Trade-Secret Lawsuit Over Wu‑Tang’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Shaolin’
U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen has allowed PleasrDAO’s lawsuit against Martin Shkreli to proceed, alleging he copied and publicly played the one‑of‑a‑kind Wu‑Tang Clan album Once Upon a Time in Shaolin. The ruling lets novel trade‑secret claims move forward in what could become a landmark test of how traditional intellectual‑property and trade‑secret law apply to unique physical/digital art assets.
Background
- In 2015 Martin Shkreli bought the unique Wu‑Tang album; it later became a government‑forfeited asset after his fraud conviction.
- PleasrDAO, a crypto/NFT/digital‑art collective, bought the album at a government auction.
- The album was designed to be highly exclusive and contractually restricted from commercial exploitation for many decades.
PleasrDAO’s Claims
PleasrDAO alleges Shkreli admitted in livestreams and online posts to making digital copies (including an alleged comment, “LOL i have the mp3s”) and to playing the album for followers — acts that, the collective says, destroyed the album’s exclusivity and constitute misappropriation of trade secrets.
Why this matters legally
Trade‑secret law typically protects confidential business information. Applying it to a single, highly exclusive album is unusual and raises questions about how courts will treat value that depends on secrecy in the age of digital reproduction and NFTs.
Possible outcomes
- If PleasrDAO prevails, remedies could include damages and orders requiring Shkreli to identify and surrender any copies, disclose distribution, and turn over profits tied to unauthorized copies or sharing.
- A ruling for Shkreli could narrow the scope of trade‑secret protections for unique cultural works and digital art.
Sources & further reading
What do you think—should one‑off artistic works receive trade‑secret protection to preserve value? Share your thoughts below.