While families around the country reel from the effects of the opioid crisis, the Sackler family, who invented and made much of its fortune off OxyContin, continues to thrive.
Just this month, OxyContin Heiress Madeleine Sackler paid $3,235,000 in cash for a luxurious Mediterranean villa-style home in a popular Los Angeles neighborhood. Meanwhile, another member of the Sackler family profited from the sale of a $38,000,000 New York townhouse and David Sackler paid $22,500,000 for an estate in Bel Air that is currently undergoing extensive renovations.
As the Sackler family enjoys its immense wealth and fancy homes, figures from the American Journal of Medicine show prescription opioids like OxyContin have claimed more than 200,000 lives.
Why the Controversy?
Madeline Sackler’s grandfather, Raymond Sackler, created Purdue Pharma, the company that produces OxyContin. This means much of Ms. Sackler’s money is coming from the $35 billion in profits generated by drugs that have ripped families apart and ruined (or ended) people’s lives since the 1990s.
The Sacklers continue to buy property and own prestigious art galleries in New York and London, but they have not yet used their wealth to help victims of the opioid epidemic. As The Guardian points out, they have not so much as opened a drug rehabilitation facility in their name.
Ongoing Litigation
Purdue Pharma has already declared bankruptcy due to endless opioid lawsuits, but many attorneys aim to add the Sacklers themselves as defendants. In response to this possibility, the family has already made $1 billion in wire transfers to preserve its wealth.
Many journalists and public figures allege the family is motivated by greed. By hiding the addictive truth about opioids, the Sacklers helped create a multi-billion-dollar market for its dangerous drugs.
How Can We Hold the Sacklers Responsible?
As everyday people and attorneys, civil action is one of the only ways we can hold the Sackler family and other drug companies responsible for the damage they have done. In fact, another opioid manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, was found to be partially accountable for the crisis in a $572,000,000 opioid trial last August.
The more lawsuits these companies face, the less power and wealth they will have.
If you’ve been injured by opioids or another dangerous or defective drug, like Zofran®, Risperdal, or Xarelto, do not hesitate to pursue justice and compensation.
Three million dollars may not be much to the Sackler family, but in the form of a settlement or verdict, that money could help you recover from a debilitating opioid addiction or another adverse drug effect.
To seek what you are entitled to by law, please contact The Gilbert Law Group® at (888) 711-5947 or request a free consultation online.
