Pharmaceutical exec Martin Shkreli faces lawsuit over Wu-Tang Clan's $2 million-worth 'Once Upon a Time in Shaolin' album

Turing Pharmaceuticals exec Martin Shkreli  faces another legal blunder, this time involving his prized possession Wu-Tang "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" album. The cover art for the said album, which is the only copy in this world and currently valued at $2 million, is being branded as a rip off by a New York artist who now wants to be indemnified by Shkreli.

New York-based artist Jason Koza filed a complaint in a Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Reuters reported Tuesday. In his pleading, Koza said he did not permit commercial use for his fan art that featured the Wu-Tang Clan members. The fan art helmed by Koza is used in the packaging for the Wu-Tang Clans limited edition and one-of-kind "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" album.

Koza also blasted Wu-Tang Clan leader Robert "RZA" Diggs who allegedly made the decision to include the artwork in the "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" album. As for Martin Shkreli, he is being blamed for illegally displaying three of Koza's Wu-Tang Clan artwork in a Jan. 29 article featured in Vice.com, particularly the "Raekwon-Koza," "Inspecta Deck-Koza" and "Ol' Dirty B-tard-Koza."

Paddle8, who auctioned the exclusive Wu-Tang Clan release, and producer Tarik "Cilvaringz" Azzougarh were also cited as defendants in the complaint.

"Mr. Koza never granted a license for his works to be copied or displayed anywhere (else)," the artist's complaint read.  

Jason Koza is seeking for unspecified damages against Diggs, Paddle8, Azzougarh and Shkreli for infringing copyright on the artist's portraits, as noted by the Financial Post. The first three are also being charged for violating an implied contract with Koza.

According to the Wall Street Journal, statutory damages for infringement complaints may range from $750 to $150,000 per every artwork which copyright was supposedly violated.

Wu-Tang Clan's "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin" album is a "single-sale collector's item" which contains 31 tracks. The production and recording for the album were kept in high secrecy, and reportedly features guests artists such as Cher. To add to the items appeal, it is stored in a box made of silver and nickel. The packaging, with its intricate engravings, took three months to hand craft.

The Koza-copyrighted artwork in question is included in the 174-page leather-bound book that came with the album.

Martin Shkreli bought the album through an auction for a whopping $2 million. Shkreli previously bragged that he doesn't plan to listen to the album unless "Taylor Swift wants to hear it" with him.

Martin Shkreli gained public infamy when he raised the price of Daraprim, an anti-parasitic infection drug, by 5,000 percent 

Tags

Martin Shkreli, Wu-Tang Clan, Once upon a time in Shaolin, copyright infringement, New York, United States, New York laws

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