The Florida Attorney General's Office has announced a $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, marking a significant development in addressing the opioid crisis. The settlement was reached following efforts led by Florida and involves multiple states. Purdue Pharma, under the leadership of the Sacklers, had been involved in manufacturing and marketing opioids, contributing to widespread addiction and overdose deaths.
This agreement is considered the largest of its kind involving individuals responsible for the opioid crisis. It follows a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in June 2024 that overturned a previous settlement with Purdue and the Sacklers. Florida is expected to receive between $233.37 million and $325.93 million from this new settlement, potentially increasing its total recoveries related to opioids to over $3.4 billion.
Acting Attorney General John Guard played a key role in negotiating this deal, supported by Governor Ron DeSantis and former Attorney General Ashley Moody. Guard commented on the complexity of renegotiating this agreement after "the Biden Department of Justice recklessly destroyed" an earlier deal.
The settlement also ends the Sacklers' control over Purdue Pharma and prohibits them from selling opioids in the U.S. A board of trustees will decide on Purdue's future operations, ensuring no lobbying or marketing of opioids occurs under this agreement.
If finalized, more than 30 million documents related to Purdue's opioid business will be made public as part of this settlement, providing transparency into past practices.
Members of the Sackler family involved include heirs of founders Raymond and Mortimer Sackler: Richard, Kathe, Mortimer Jr., Ilene, David, Theresa Sackler; along with estates of Jonathan and Beverly Sackler.
Florida joins other states like California, New York, Texas among others in securing this settlement. Additionally, Florida has previously secured over $3 billion from other companies involved in opioid distribution through litigation efforts aimed at combating the crisis across the nation.