Purdue Pharma pleaded guilty to three criminal charges, formally admitting its role in an opioid epidemic that has contributed to hundreds of thousands of deaths over the past two decades. The guilty pleas were entered by Purdue board chairperson Steve Miller on behalf of the company. No criminal charges have been filed against family members, although their deal leaves open the possibility of that in the future. The attorneys general for about half the states opposed the federal settlement, as well as the company's proposed settlement in bankruptcy court. In the bankruptcy case, Purdue has proposed transforming into a public benefit corporation with its proceeds going to help address the opioid crisis.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 24, 2020 22:19 UTC