In his first interview since he was charged Thursday for allegedly misleading investors in his hedge funds and raiding a public company to cover the losses, Mr. Shkreli told The Wall Street Journal he had been targeted by authorities for his much-criticized drug-price hikes and over-the-top public persona.
His arrest Thursday dates back to his time as a small-time hedge-fund manager.
But Mr. Shkreli believes it is related to the recent drug price increases.
“ ‘Trying to find anything we could to stop him,’ was the attitude of the government,” Mr. Shkreli said.
“Beating the person up and then trying to find the merits to make up for it—I would have hoped the government wouldn’t take that kind of approach.”
The Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office, which filed the charges against Mr. Shkreli, didn’t respond to a request for comment.