The Justice Department announced an $8 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, the OxyContin maker widely accused of fueling the nation's opioid crisis that has been blamed for more than 400,000 American deaths in the last 20 years.The settlement resolves criminal and civil investigations into how Purdue Pharma aggressively marketed its powerful painkillers but the staggering amount is largely symbolic. The company is tied up in bankruptcy proceedings and lacks the assets to pay the full amount.The Sacklers, the wealthy family that controls the company, will separately pay $225 million to resolve civil claims.The settlement agreement does not prevent family members or company executives from being prosecuted in the future.Douglas Healey/AP, FILEThe Purdue Pharma logo at its offices in Stamford, Conn., May 8, 2007. Purdue Pharma makes OxyContin, the powerful prescription painkiller that experts say helped touch off an opioid epidemic.The Purdue Pharma logo at its offices in Stamford, Conn., May 8, 2007. Purdue Pharma makes OxyContin, the powerful prescription painkiller that experts say helped touch off an opioid epidemic."This resolution does not provide anybody with a pass on the criminal side," said Rachel Honig, an assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey.The company is pleading guilty on three counts: one charge of defrauding the United States and two anti-kickback- related charges."The department will not relent to combat the opioid problem," Deputy Attorney General Jeffery Rosen said at a press conference on Wednesday.Rosen said that according to the plea agreement, and subject to bankruptcy court approval, Purdue Pharma will be "be dissolved and won't exist in its current form."Two dozen states, however, have opposed Purdue's plans to turn itself into a public trust."DOJ failed," said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. "Justice in this case requires exposing the truth and holding the perpetrators accountable, not rushing a settlement to beat an election. I am not done with Purdue and the Sacklers, and I will never sell out the families who have been calling for justice for so long.".
Source : abcnews.go.com
Source : abcnews.go.com