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24 Attorneys General Oppose Purdue Pharma's Multi-Million Dollar Bonuses for Company Executives
October 3, 2019
AUGUSTA - Today, a coalition of 24 Attorneys General formally opposed Purdue Pharma's $38 million dollar bonuses for company executives. The Attorneys General filed a joinder to the United States Trustee's objection to Purdue's authorization request for their multi-million dollar incentive, bonus, and severance plans. Purdue made this request just two weeks after declaring bankruptcy in the face of multi-billion dollar liabilities for their role in engineering the opioid epidemic.
"These bonuses are yet another example of how Purdue's executives, including the Sackler family, continue to seek to profit the opioid crisis," said Attorney General Aaron M. Frey. "We strongly object to these bonuses and will continue our efforts in Maines courts to hold them accountable for their actions."
In June, the Maine Office of the Attorney General filed suit in Kennebec County Superior Court against Purdue Pharma L.P., Purdue Pharma, Inc. and members of the Sackler family, who own and control Purdue, alleging that they committed unfair and deceptive business practices in violation of the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act. The complaint describes Purdues successful efforts to deceptively market opioid drugs in Maine from 2007 through 2017, as Maines opioid crisis reached epidemic levels.
As the complaint alleges, the Sackler defendants increased the companies' sales force nationally and in Maine which enabled them to increase their visits to Maine health care providers. As a consequence of the increased sales visits, sales of Purdues opioids rose in Maine and in 2012 Maine health care prescribers wrote prescriptions for long- acting/extended-release opioid pain relievers - the type Purdue sells - at the highest rate in the nation: 21.8 prescriptions for every 100 Mainers.
The Attorneys General of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin joined the opposition filed by the US Trustee.
