Painkiller on Netflix: What happened to the Sackler family and where are they now?

Netflix have dropped a new series that explores the impact of the opioid crisis in America, Painkiller. The drama is inspired by a true story, one of which being how the Sackler family marketed the OxyContin drug through their company, Purdue Pharma.

OxyContin, a high addictive drug, was marketed as the number one solution for pain management, which led to patients becoming hooked on it. In the series, Glen Kryger becomes addicted to OxyContin following an injury at work that meant he was prescribed the drug.

In the final scenes of Painkiller, news reports show Purdue Pharma’s involvement in the opioid crisis and with the added detail of the six billion dollar settlement the Sacklers agreed to pay out. But what happened to the Sackler family after all of this? Here’s everything we know.

What happened to the Sackler family?

As shown in the Netflix series Painkiller, no member of the Sackler family has ever been criminally charged in connection with the marketing of Oxycontin or any overdose deaths involving the drug. The family do however continue to face a numerous amount of lawsuits.

In October 2020, Purdue Pharma plead guilty to criminal charges brought by the Department of Justice regarding the marketing of OxyContin. The settlement includes a $225 million payment to the Department of Justice for the Sacklers’ alleged part in the opioid crisis.

“Nearly all 50 US states have filed lawsuits against Purdue and the Sackler family members for their roles in the alleged opioid crisis,” according to Forbes.

The Sackler family also agreed to personally pay $3 billion towards the settlement, which will go towards the individuals affected by the opioid crisis and the family will also sell its UK subsidiary, Mundipharma.

As reported by MailOnline, Richard Sackler sold is luxury Beverly Hills property, worth $20 million in February 2023.

It has been reported that Purdue Pharma is set to become Knoa, a company dedicated to developing and distributing overdose reversal and addiction-treatment medicines for now profit.

Where are the Sackler family now?

The Sackler family remains one of America’s largest and wealthiest families, with its wealth spanning across several generations.

Arthur Sackler’s family have distanced themselves from the rest of the family, claiming they had no part in the opioid crisis. Arthur’s daughter, Elizabeth, is the benefactor of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

Mortimer Sackler had seven children, three of whom were involved in Purdue Pharma. Mortimer’s son, Michael, is a filmmaker and his daughters, Sophie and Samantha, married into somehow even more wealth.

Raymond Sackler’s grandson, David, is married to Joss Sackler and they have a big involvement in the fashion industry. Raymond’s daughter, Madeleine, is a filmmaker who has made documentaries about the prison system.

The case of the Sackler family continues.

Painkiller is available to watch on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.

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Featured image credit via Netflix.