Tangent: Diary Of A Welsher | For 13+ Years, Martin Shkreli Never Paid Dr. Thomas Koestler The ~$6M He Owed Him. Dr. Koestler Has Now Died. Deplorable.

I admit it.

My blood is boiling -- at the moment.

Just this morning, I learned that there was a memorial for Dr. Koestler's life, and home-going -- on Hilton Head Island, in June 2025. He had passed at the end of last year of a long term illness.

While I had -- from about 2008 to 2012 -- written (on other properties), about Dr. Koestler's "complicated" legacy while serving as Chief Science Officer at then NYSE traded Schering-Plough (and not "Schering Ploughing", as all of his obits read!)... he was, I think -- a good man. And clearly a gifted scientist.

And I am certain -- as were the federal courts, in Manhattan (see these multiple federal court judgments). . . that Martin Shkreli stiffed him out of about $6 million (when one includes judgment interest from about 2013 to the present day).

Dr. Koestler's lawyers had some victories, and got (mostly small) bits of what was owed to him back, by selling off some of Martin's former assets -- ones seized, after he was jailed for frauds.

But this good man died, with Martin Shkreli actively dodging the debt he owed him -- as found in federal court orders.

Dr. Koestler's family / estate is now trying to collect from Martin, now over 13 YEARS later.

Here's is to hoping his widow (married just under 50 years -- when he passed) sees some recovery.

But it is very fair to say. . . this is the most deplorable side of Mr. Shkreli.

In business, as in the rest of his life, he cannot be trusted to keep his word.

Period.

[Maybe Ms. Smythe would like to do an updated Black Sheep installment on this(?). . . who knows? Damn.]

नमस्ते