CEOs Receive Massive Bonuses Despite Ethics Scandals, Pass Cost on to Shareholders
When executive compensation is tied solely to short term profits, and not balanced against company payouts for wrongdoing, there’s an increased incentive for executive fraud. Recently Wells Fargo bank made headlines when bank employees opened million of fake accounts in customer’s names to meet quotas. Wells Fargo CEO testified before congress and passed the blame […]
Purdue Pleads Guilty to Felonies, Plea Deal Receives Criticism
Purdue Pharma pleads guilty to criminal charges for illegal marketing of the its highly addictive painkiller, OxyContin. Corporations often pay penalties and fines for wrongdoing, yet criminal charges are rare. These charges include felony charges of defrauding federal health agencies and violating anti-kickback laws. The company also paid civil penalties for violating the False Claims […]
Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Opioid Crisis and Litigation
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague America, worsening the opioid crisis that has plagued the nation for decades, litigation to recoup the cost of fighting the opioid crisis has stalled. While local and state governments await desperately needs funds to continue to provide services in support of those plagued by addiction to opioids, the […]
Pharmacies Face New Suit In Opioids Crisis
A new court filing against big American pharmacy retailers has been submitted in the multi-district litigation in Ohio Federal Court overseen by Judge Dan Polster. The complaint accuses major pharmacies, including CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Walmart and Giant Eagle of being complicit in perpetuating the crisis as manufactures and distributors of the addictive drugs. The […]
DOJ Blocks Criminal Charges Against Walmart in Opioid Crisis
A recent ProPublica investigative report calls into question the Trump Administration’s commitment to ending the opioid crisis, criminally charging those responsible, and ensuring that protections are in place to prevent another crisis. Even as President Trump held television news conferences vowing to take a hard stance in combatting the opioid crisis and prosecute pharmaceutical companies […]
Pharma Execs Admits to Deceptive Marketing of Opioids
In a rare admission to PBS Frontline & the Finical Times, a pharmaceutical executive acknowledged that he knowingly orchestrated an illegal scheme to boost sales of a powerful opiate painkiller believing there would be no consequences for him personally. Alec Burlakoff, Insys’ former head of sales received a 26-month sentence for charges related his role in the pharmaceutical company which […]
State and Local Lawmakers Goals Conflict in Opioid Litigation
Plaintiffs’ in the multi-district litigation, which consisting of more than 2,500 cities and counties, suing opioid manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid crisis find they have conflicting goals with state lawmakers in the ongoing opioid litigation. State attorneys general are adamant on taking drug manufacturers and distributors to trial in hopes of winning a […]
Sheller Gives Presentations on Risperdal and Opioid Litigation
Stephen A. Sheller, founder of Sheller PC, is often sought for his expertise in litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers whose products cause harm to consumers. He recently has one of few private law firms chosen to work with the City of Philadelphia in opioid litigation. In October 2019 Sheller was an invited speaker at two conferences. October 12, 2019 “Big […]
Will Fines Change Corporate Culture That Caused Opioid Crisis?
An Oklahoma judge order Johnson & Johnson (J&J) subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals to pay a $572 million fine to the state for fueling the opioid crisis. This was the first case of its kind to go to trial and could influence similar claims by more than 40 states against the pharmaceutical industry. “As a matter of […]
Oklahoma Sues J&J Over Opioid Crisis
Purdue Pharma is named the main defendant in multiple city, state and local lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies that played a part in the current opioid crisis. The suits claim the drug maker’s aggressive marketing of its opioid painkiller OxyContin began the crisis more than two decades ago. News media has covered the crisis extensively, including John Oliver […]
