By Jonathan Randles

 

California Attorney General Rob Bonta is appealing a $4.5B bankruptcy settlement between OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP and members of the Sackler family who own it, according to court papers filed Friday.

Mr. Bonta is joining state attorneys general for Connecticut, Washington, Maryland and the District of Columbia as well as the Justice Department, which earlier moved to challenge the settlement in higher courts.

The deal, approved earlier this month by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain, will shield members of the Sackler family from civil opioid lawsuits in exchange for roughly $4.5 billion.

The settlement is a key piece of Purdue's approved chapter 11 exit plan, which resolves legal liability over its flagship OxyContin opioid painkiller.

 

Write to Jonathan Randles at jonathan.randles@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 24, 2021 14:20 ET (18:20 GMT)

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