Virginia has joined a growing number of states suing members of the family that owns Purdue Pharma for their alleged role in the nation’s opioid crisis.
Attorney General Mark Herring announced Wednesday that the state has amended a lawsuit it filed against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma in 2018 to add allegations that the Sackler family promoted the company’s drugs despite knowing they were “dangerous, deadly and addictive.”
At least 20 other states have filed lawsuits naming the Sacklers as defendants.
The lawsuit also alleges that members of the Sackler family unlawfully transferred at least $4 billion US from the company to themselves to shield assets from investigators and plaintiffs in dozens of lawsuits.
Sackler family representatives did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.