Re:DOJ: We Want Martin Shkreli’s Enigma Machine, Wu-Tang Alb...
by allenz on Friday December 01, 2017 @11:32PM
(#15830174)
I think much of the discomfort comes from the fact that white collar crime typically goes unpunished. (How many CEOs went to jail after the financial crisis?) There is the perception, warranted or not, that Shkreli was prosecuted simply because he stands out, which would be unjust.
The purpose of the law is to discourage situations that were deemed likely to yield harm, regardless of whether the victims lucked out this particular time.
Consider a drunk cab driver for example. No one is hurt, and the passenger is home in one piece. Still should be a crime, no?