The state of New Hampshire is suing four members of the Sackler family who own drug maker Purdue Pharma.
The state accuses the Sacklers of being the architects of a deceptive marketing campaign around opioids that contributed to the state's drug crisis.
Purdue Pharma, maker of Oxycontin, is itself the subject of more than 2000 lawsuits from cities, counties and states, including New Hampshire. The company recently filed for bankruptcy as part of a tentative settlement with many of those plaintiffs.
But New Hampshire and more than two dozen other states rejected that settlement offer. Now New Hampshire is joining many of those states in suing the Sacklers directly.
James Boffetti with the New Hampshire attorney general's office says Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy could shield the Sackler's personal wealth, valued in the billions, from the state's current lawsuit against the company.
He argues that because the Sacklers directly owned and benefited from the private company, they bear an equal amount of responsibility.
“Purdue is the Sacklers," said Boffetti. "The Sacklers ran and were Purdue. There's one ego here -- and it's the Sacklers.”
The case is filedin Merrimack Country Superior Court.
