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I know there's been a lot of criticism of the details of the settlement, but Purdue Pharma was sued out of existence by the DOJ last week.


I don't know if I would count that as any sort of a win, given how the primary owners acquired $11 billion, then were fined only $225 million. I guess crime pays out at 98%.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/10/sacklers-who-made-11...


Purdue actually paid 8 billion out of 11 billion profit. That seems reasonable as tons of people using their drugs did have a legitimate need.

The 235 Million in personal civil liabilities PLUS their losses from owning so much of the company.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-...

> 8 billion payout on 11 billion profit. That seems reasonable. Not all of the people using their drugs were being prescribed without good reason. > Purdue Pharma has agreed to plead guilty in federal court in New Jersey to a three-count felony information charging it with one count of dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. The criminal resolution includes the largest penalties ever levied against a pharmaceutical manufacturer, including a criminal fine of $3.544 billion and an additional $2 billion in criminal forfeiture. For the $2 billion forfeiture, the company will pay $225 million on the effective date of the bankruptcy, and, as further explained below, the department is willing to credit the value conferred by the company to State and local governments under the department’s anti-piling on and coordination policy. Purdue has also agreed to a civil settlement in the amount of $2.8 billion to resolve its civil liability under the False Claims Act. Separately, the Sackler family has agreed to pay $225 million in damages to resolve its civil False Claims Act liability.


They made off with at least $3 billion in profit, are responsible for (at minimum) the deaths of thousands of Americans, and will ride off into the sunset with their billions.

The DOJ delivered a slap on the wrist just in time for the election so that they could claim a win on the opioid crisis.

I don't blame people in this thread for having zero confidence whatsoever in the "justice" system.


Of course they shouldn't profit from people they've harmed.

Is it okay to profit from the other people they've helped?

In any case Rhodes Pharmaceutical was started in 2007 by the Purdue family. It makes opioids too and should be shut down.


I think the outrage around the Sacklers and the money they kept from sales of opioids is justified.

That said, I think you're arguing that if Purdue Pharma were to continue pushing opioids and the Sacklers continued to profit handsomely, that would be equivalent to them stopping now? Stopping them now isn't any sort of win?


A judgement against a corporate entity after the owners have already cashed out is analogous to a judge ordering the return of stolen lemons, but the thief gets to keep the lemonade she's already squeezed out of them.


I don't think being left with 3 billion in profit is being sued out of existence.




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