the allegations “a misguided attempt to place blame where it does not belong for a complex public health crisis.” But recent revelations tell a different story. While representatives of Purdue Pharma have portrayed Sackler family members as being distant from the day-to-day operations of the company, evidence presented in pending court cases paint a much darker picture.
According to a lawsuit brought by the Massachusetts Attorney General earlier this year, members of the Sackler family personally directed Purdue sales representatives to advise doctors to prescribe the highest dosage of OxyContin to maximize company profits. The Massachusetts suit names eight members of the Sackler family, including, most notably, Richard, the company’s former chairman and president.
This week’s New York lawsuit alleges new levels of Sackler mendacity. It says that in recent years, members of the family began to shift hundreds of millions of dollars from the company to themselves through off-shore accounts, in an apparent effort to shield their assets from the growing threats of litigation. According to the New York Attorney General, Sackler family members abolished quarterly reports, and insisted that financial numbers only be presented orally to board members.
Exactly. I'd love to give, but need to pay for pharma drugs.