The Sackler Family Reportedly Hid $1 Billion of OxyContin Money in Order to 'Lowball Victims'

The Sackler family, which owns the OxyContin factory formally known as Purdue Pharma, seems to be following some sort of instructional manual for soap opera villains and appears to have progressed past the “build a drug empire” and onto the “hide money in Swiss bank accounts” stage.

According to the New York Times, the New York attorney general’s office announced on Friday that they had uncovered around $1 billion of Oxy money stashed in Switzerland. The news comes at a pretty opportune time for those who just finished suing the Sacklers. Earlier in the week, thousands of towns ravished by the opioid epidemic reached a settlement with Purdue and the family, which New York attorney general Letitia James says should be higher but for the Sacklers allegedly hiding suitcases of gold doubloons in a chalet, probably while cackling villainously:

“While the Sacklers continue to lowball victims and skirt a responsible settlement, we refuse to allow the family to misuse the courts in an effort to shield their financial misconduct,” James said in a statement. “Records from one financial institution alone have shown approximately $1 billion in wire transfers between the Sacklers, entities they control, and different financial institutions, including those that have funneled funds into Swiss bank accounts,” she added.

First of all, why did no one check Switzerland for Sackler money before the settlement and has anyone looked in the Bahamas? Because the Sacklers seem to have watched the exact same soap operas the rest of us did. Secondly, Courtney Love was right. They could have ponied up the cash to pay her more.