Illinois to get $154M from $7.4B Purdue Pharma settlement

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a $7.4 billion settlement in principle with members of the Sackler family and their company, Purdue Pharma Inc., over their instrumental role in creating the opioid crisis.

Illinois will receive up to approximately $154 million. 

Purdue, under the Sacklers’ leadership, invented, manufactured and aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, fueling waves of addiction and overdose deaths in Illinois and across the country.

The settlement will end the Sacklers’ control of Purdue and ability to sell opioids in the United States. Importantly, it will deliver funding directly to communities across the country over the next 15 years to support opioid addiction treatment, prevention and recovery programs.

If approved, the settlement will resolve Raoul’s 2019 litigation against Purdue and individual members of the Sackler family.

The $7.4 billion settlement in principle is the nation’s largest settlement to date with individuals responsible for contributing to the opioid crisis.

“My priority has long been reaching a resolution that holds the Sackler family accountable for the devastation that addiction to their opioids caused tens of thousands of other families, as well as making sure communities receive funding to address the impact of opioid addiction,” Raoul said.

In addition to delivering $7.4 billion to address the opioid crisis, Raoul said the settlement, once approved by the court, ends the Sacklers’ control of Purdue and bars them from selling opioids in the United States.

A board of trustees selected by the settlement’s participating states in consultation with the other creditors will determine the future of the company. Under the settlement, Purdue will continue to be overseen by a monitor and will be prevented from lobbying or marketing opioids.

If approved, the settlement will deliver funds to the participating states, local governments, affected individuals, and other parties who have previously sued the Sacklers or Purdue.

Attorney General Raoul urges anyone who believes they or a loved one may be addicted to opioids to seek help by calling the Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances at 833-2FINDHELP, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.