WASHINGTON DC — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday a global resolution of its criminal and civil investigations into the opioid maker Purdue Pharma.
The $8 billion-plus settlement includes an admission by Purdue Pharma that from May 2007 through at least March 2017, it "consipired" to defraud the United States by impeding the lawful function of the DEA .
Ohio had the second-highest number of opioid deaths in the country.
The settlement must still be approved by a bankruptcy court where the company previously filed for bankruptcy.
"The abuse and diversion of prescription opioids has contributed to a national tragedy of addiction and deaths," said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen.
Meanwhile, separate opioid litigation involving more than 2,000 communities across the country continues in a multi-district class-action lawsuit in federal court here in Cleveland.
Both Cuyahoga and Summit counties reached a $260 million settlement last October.
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