The Secret History Of The Sackler Dynasty: Unveiling a Legacy of Controversy and Influence

The Sackler family, once recognized for their generous philanthropy and art patronage, has found themselves embroiled in one of the most significant drug-related scandals in recent history. Behind the glitz and glamour lies a dark and mysterious history, filled with secrets, legal battles, and high-stake power plays. In this article, we will delve into the enigmatic world of the Sackler dynasty, exploring their rise to wealth, the birth of their pharmaceutical empire, and the controversies that have surrounded their name. Get ready to unravel the secrets that have kept this powerful family in the shadows for decades.

The Origins: Immigrants Turned Philanthropists

The Sacklers, of Jewish-Ukrainian heritage, arrived in the United States as immigrants in the early 20th century. Driven by a hunger for success, three brothers - Arthur, Mortimer, and Raymond - set out to build an empire that would eventually make them one of the wealthiest families in America.

Initially, the Sackler siblings focused on pharmaceutical advertising, pioneering new tactics that revolutionized the industry. Their groundbreaking marketing strategies propelled them into prominence, allowing them to establish their own pharmaceutical company, Purdue Pharma, in the late 20th century.

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty

by Patrick Radden Keefe(Kindle Edition)

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8616 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	558 pages

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The Ascent: The OxyContin Controversy

OxyContin, an extended-release opioid painkiller, became the cornerstone of Purdue Pharma's success. While initially hailed as a groundbreaking drug that provided relief to millions of patients suffering from chronic pain, it soon became evident that OxyContin had a dark side. The addictive properties and potential for abuse led to a skyrocketing number of overdose deaths across the United States.

As evidence accumulated, alleging that Purdue Pharma had intentionally downplayed the risks associated with OxyContin, the Sackler dynasty quickly found themselves facing multiple class-action lawsuits. The aggressive marketing tactics employed by the company were brought to light, revealing a carefully orchestrated campaign to persuade doctors to prescribe the powerful painkiller. Critics argued that the Sacklers put profits before people, contributing to the opioid crisis that has gripped the nation for the past two decades.

The Cover-Up: Hidden Profits and Legal Maneuvers

As public scrutiny and lawsuits intensified, the Sackler dynasty fought back, employing a myriad of legal maneuvers to shield their fortune and reputation. Limited liability companies and offshore accounts were utilized to protect their wealth, raising questions about their true intentions and commitment to accountability.

Furthermore, investigations revealed that the Sacklers had unscrupulously profited from the sales of OxyContin, amassing billions of dollars over the years. The full extent of their wealth, carefully hidden from public view, served as a stark reminder of the disparity between the victims affected by the opioid crisis and the family responsible for it.

The Fallout: Repercussions and Cultural Scrutiny

The Sackler family's involvement in the opioid crisis has had far-reaching consequences. Museums and universities, once proud recipients of the family's philanthropic donations, faced mounting pressure to sever ties with the Sackler name. Institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, removed the Sackler name from their galleries and institutions.

Furthermore, to curb the opioid crisis, numerous states and municipalities filed lawsuits against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, seeking justice and substantial financial compensation for the damages caused. The repercussions of this legal battle are still unfolding, as the Sacklers continue to navigate the complex web of liabilities and settlements.

The Legacy: A Name Tarnished Forever

The Sackler dynasty's legacy is one of paradoxes and shattered trust. Once celebrated as generous philanthropists and art patrons, their name has become synonymous with greed, deception, and the devastating consequences of the opioid crisis. The empire they built continues to prosper, but at what cost?

There is no doubt that the Sackler dynasty's secret history will forever remain tarnished by their involvement in the opioid crisis. Their story serves as a chilling reminder of the corrupting influence of power and money. As society grapples with the devastating aftermath of the opioid epidemic, the hidden secrets of the Sacklers will continue to unravel, ensuring that their legacy will not be forgotten.

, the Sackler dynasty is a captivating tale of ambition, wealth, and the destructive power of prescription drugs. Their clandestine history, shrouded in controversy and legal battles, offers a sobering reminder of the consequences of putting profit before people. While their name may forever be associated with controversy, it is through understanding their secret history that we can shed light on the hidden complexities that exist within powerful and influential families.

Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty

by Patrick Radden Keefe(Kindle Edition)

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8616 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	558 pages

FREE

NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE NOMINEE •A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR •NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • A grand, devastating portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, famed for their philanthropy, whose fortune was built by Valium and whose reputation was destroyed by OxyContin. From the prize-winning and bestselling author of SayNothing

The history of the Sackler dynasty is rife with drama—baroque personal lives; bitter disputes over estates; fistfights in boardrooms; glittering art collections; Machiavellian courtroom maneuvers; and the calculated use of money to burnish reputations and crush the less powerful. The Sackler name has adorned the walls of many storied institutions—Harvard, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford, the Louvre. They are one of the richest families in the world, known for their lavish donations to the arts and the sciences. The source of the family fortune was vague, however, until it emerged that the Sacklers were responsible for making and marketing a blockbuster painkiller that was the catalyst for the opioid crisis.

Empire of Pain begins with the story of three doctor brothers, Raymond, Mortimer and the incalculably energetic Arthur, who weathered the poverty of the Great Depression and appalling anti-Semitism. Working at a barbaric mental institution, Arthur saw a better way and conducted groundbreaking research into drug treatments. He also had a genius for marketing, especially for pharmaceuticals, and bought a small ad firm.

Arthur devised the marketing for Valium, and built the first great Sackler fortune. He purchased a drug manufacturer, Purdue Frederick, which would be run by Raymond and Mortimer. The brothers began collecting art, and wives, and grand residences in exotic locales. Their children and grandchildren grew up in luxury.

Forty years later, Raymond’s son Richard ran the family-owned Purdue. The template Arthur Sackler created to sell Valium—co-opting doctors, influencing the FDA, downplaying the drug’s addictiveness—was employed to launch a far more potent product: OxyContin. The drug went on to generate some thirty-five billion dollars in revenue, and to launch a public health crisis in which hundreds of thousands would die.

This is the saga of three generations of a single family and the mark they would leave on the world, a tale that moves from the bustling streets of early twentieth-century Brooklyn to the seaside palaces of Greenwich, Connecticut, and Cap d’Antibes to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C.  Empire of Pain chronicles the multiple investigations of the Sacklers and their company, and the scorched-earth legal tactics that the family has used to evade accountability. 

Empire of Pain is a masterpiece of narrative reporting and writing, exhaustively documented and ferociously compelling. It is a portrait of the excesses of America’s second Gilded Age, a study of impunity among the super elite and a relentless investigation of the naked greed and indifference to human suffering that built one of the world’s great fortunes.