Martin Shkreli gal pal Christie Smythe told The Post Monday that she’s open to dating other guys – now that the ‘Pharma Bro’ fraudster has unceremoniously given her the boat through one of his attorneys.
Caught in public for the first time since she revealed the eccentric couple’s romance in a sensational magazine piece on Sunday, the former Bloomberg News reporter said, “He basically dumped me through his lawyers.”
Smythe was referring to the cold statement Shkreli made to Elle Mag through one of his lawyers when asked to comment on Smythe’s story about their romance.
“Mr. Shkreli wishes Ms. Smythe the best of luck in her future endeavors,” said the statement from Shkreli, who was convicted in 2017 of defrauding investors and serving a seven-year jail term – a case Smythe helped cover.
Smythe – wearing a shirt that says’ Be Kind ‘under her knee-length camel coat – told The Post,’ That was a classic breakup when you fire someone.
“It’s like being fired by a CEO,” said the journalist, who gave up her husband and Bloomberg job for Shkreli. “It was heartbreaking and very sad. ”
Asked by The Post if she’s ready to date other guys, Smythe – dressed in jeans and black boots while walking her dog in the snow – replied, “I’m absolutely open to it.
“I’ve actually been celibate for two years,” she said. “I’m not going to wait.”
Still, the writer said, “I am here in the sense that I care about him. I love him. I’d like to see if we can make some kind of future work, if that’s what he wants to do.
“I’m a friend. I’m someone who takes care of him,” she said.
“I mean, he might be mad at me,” Smythe said of Shkreli, referring to her outing from their romance in the article.
But he started their relationship, she said.
‘My marriage was coming to an end and everything else. I tried to do the thing where I tried to be a friend and try to be a reporter, and I got sucked in way too much.
‘I really had a relationship with him and a bond with him. … My husband and I had a marriage counselor, and I visited Martin in prison, and I began to realize that I was in love.
“I don’t throw myself at people without a solid understanding of what their feelings are,” Smythe said. “[Shkreli] called me his girlfriend first, and first called me “baby” and cute rants about amazing things we would do one day in the future, travel, or “we’ll do this someday” daydreams.
“And that was all on his side.”
Smythe was adamant about something else.
“I want to be as crystal clear as possible: I haven’t slept with him. I didn’t have any romantic interactions with him until I was done with Bloomberg, ”Smythe said of Shkreli.
“And I don’t care if his great visions come true,” she said. ‘He is a brilliant person. He is fascinating. “