Justice Department Seeks $13 Billion from Purdue Pharma to Resolve Opioid Claims

The U.S. Justice Department is seeking almost $13 billion from OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma to resolve investigations of the company, Reuters reports. The $13 billion in claims include about $10 billion in criminal penalties and a civil penalty of almost $3 billion.

The sums ultimately paid to resolve the investigations are likely to be far lower, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Thousands of creditors, including the Justice Department, are seeking funds from Purdue Pharma.

The Justice Department investigations revealed evidence of criminal and civil misconduct related to Purdue Pharma’s alleged role in the opioid epidemic.

The company filed for bankruptcy protection and received court approval to stop more than 2,600 lawsuits brought by local governments and other plaintiffs alleging the company, and the Sackler family that owned it, fueled the opioid crisis.