A consulting giant that fueled America's deadly opioid epidemic has agreed to pay a huge settlement to avoid criminal prosecution, according to court documents filed Friday.
McKinsey & Company is an international management consulting firm. advised Purdue Pharma enters into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Department of Justice (DOJ) that requires it to pay a $650 million settlement over five years to “surge” OxyContin sales at the height of the opioid crisis . (Related article: 'Almost the worst people on earth': Supreme Court justices weigh bid to strip legal immunity of opioid kingpins)
A former senior employee at McKinsey begged He was found guilty of obstruction of justice for destroying records detailing his work at consulting giant Purdue.
The McKinsey settlement is the latest in a series of lawsuits seeking accountability for companies and consulting firms that have contributed to the opioid crisis.
The fad was created in part by efforts by Purdue and McKinsey to sell OxyContin to millions of Americans. taken It claimed more than 500,000 lives and left a trail of devastation, especially in parts of rural America.
#breaking news Global management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. has agreed to pay $650 million to resolve an investigation into its work with opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma. In the study, the company recommended steps to “spike” OxyContin sales.
🔗https://t.co/wRnznpZvNc pic.twitter.com/l9Iz5TWx2C— Massachusetts U.S. Attorney (@DMAnews1) December 13, 2024
“McKinsey teams up with Purdue Pharma to create a plan to 'surge' OxyContin sales as the opioid epidemic continues to devastate families and communities across the country.” said Joshua Levy, the U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, who, along with attorneys from the same court, sued McKinsey. The Western District of Virginia wrote following the settlement over the company's consulting work with the city of Purdue: “Consulting firms like McKinsey should get the message: If the advice you give companies in boardrooms and PowerPoint presentations aids and abets criminal activity, we will come after you and tell you the truth. It will be exposed.”
After McKinsey reached a settlement with the Justice Department, it specifically acknowledged its wrongdoing and expressed regret.
“We deeply regret the actions of a former partner in deleting documents related to past customer service and work for Purdue Pharma,” the consulting firm said in a statement. I wrote In a post-settlement statement. “We should have recognized the harm that opioids are causing in our society, and Purdue Pharma's sales and marketing efforts should not have been made. Our past efforts will always be a source of deep regret for our company.”
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