New York attorney general Letitia James wants the global drugmaker Teva Pharmaceuticals to answer for its alleged role in the opioid crisis—just as Johnson & Johnson did last summer when James revealed a $230 million settlement between the state and the company.
James has accused Teva, the parent company of Teva USA, of downplaying its involvement with its subsidiary to evade legal action and accountability for the crisis.
James said that the parent company has been calling all the shots in the litigation which dates to 2019. She also contends that Teva used shell corporations to transfer funds from Teva USA to offshore accounts that it controlled.
“By making misrepresentations to escape our reach, Teva Pharmaceuticals underestimated our commitment to securing justice,” James said in a statement.
James said that the parent company—which was previously excused from the litigation—should be put back under investigation to determine its role in the opioid crisis and the impact the money transfers have in altering the company’s ability to pay.
Teva already is in deep financial straits with a debt load of $20 billion, it reported in July of last year.
Eight months ago, a New York jury found Teva USA guilty of contributing to the opioid epidemic. Another trial will determine how much the U.S. company will have to pay.