BRIEF—Purdue to plead guilty to three charges, says AP

The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Purdue Pharma, an opioid drug manufacturer that has been blamed for the US addiction crisis, will plead guilty to three charges as part of a settlement of more than $8 billion.

Justice Department officials have apparently told AP that the privately-held drugmaker will admit three counts, including conspiracy to defraud the USA and violating federal anti-kickback laws, in a resolution will be detailed in a bankruptcy court filing in federal court.

A criminal investigation is ongoing to determine if there have been any crimes committed by the Sackler family, who own the Oxycontin (oxycodone) manufacturer. Purdue also continues to face scrutiny by states in the USA.

The opioid crisis has led to an estimated 470,000 American deaths since 2000.

Later on Wednesday, the Justice Department confirmed the news.