Sacklers transferred $1 billion as scrutiny from opioid crisis grew: New York AG

The New York attorney general's office, as part of an ongoing case against Purdue Pharma and some members of the Sackler family, said in court filings on Friday it's discovered approximately $1 billion the family may have been trying to hide from parties suing them over the opioid crisis.

The filing reflects documents the New York AG's office said it's obtained as a result of subpoenas issued to a number of financial institutions believed to have information related to the defendants in the case. According to Friday's filings, the documents produced by one unnamed institution reflect about $1 billion in wire transfers "between and among the Defendants and their shell companies during the same time frame that they were draining Purdue of its opioids proceeds."

"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," New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement released Friday.