Purdue Pharma Sentenced to $5.544 Billion in Criminal Penalties, What Opioid Victims Should Know

A federal judge sentenced Purdue Pharma L.P., the maker of OxyContin, on April 28, 2026, ordering a $3.544 billion criminal fine and a $2 billion criminal forfeiture. Together that is $5.544 billion, though the Justice Department says it will credit up to $1.775 billion against the forfeiture.[1][2] Purdue’s business moved to a new company, Knoa Pharma LLC, when its bankruptcy plan took effect on May 1, 2026.[3][6] That means a September headline calling Purdue “set to dissolve” is describing something that already happened months ago. If you were harmed by OxyContin, the sentence itself does not pay you. Money for individuals comes from a separate fund, the Purdue Personal Injury Trust, and its claim deadline passed on July 28, 2025.[3]

Purdue Pharma Sentence and Bankruptcy Quick Facts

Detail	What the primary sources say
Criminal case	United States v. Purdue Pharma L.P., U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (Newark), Judge Madeline Cox Arleo [1]
Charges (guilty plea Nov. 24, 2020)	One count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; two counts of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute [1][2]
Sentencing date	April 28, 2026. The court accepted the plea agreement at a hearing where 36 victims spoke [1]
Criminal fine	$3.544 billion, “assessed in connection with the bankruptcy proceedings” [1][2]
Criminal forfeiture	$2 billion. DOJ will credit up to $1.775 billion of it for value delivered to state, local, and tribal governments through the bankruptcy, if Purdue stops operating in its current form and emerges as a public benefit company [1][2]
Total ordered (fine + forfeiture)	$5.544 billion, before the credit (our arithmetic from the two figures above)
Other sentence terms	Purdue must host a public repository of documents related to the criminal charges [1][2]
Bankruptcy case	In re Purdue Pharma L.P., Case No. 19-23649, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York [7]
Plan confirmed	November 18, 2025 [3]
Plan effective date	May 1, 2026 [3][6]
New operating company	Knoa Pharma LLC, run by a board with no connection to Purdue and barred from marketing opioids [6]
Purdue payment at effective date	Approximately $900 million [6]
Sackler family payments	More than $1.5 billion on May 1, 2026, then approximately $500 million (May 2027), $500 million (May 2028), and $400 million (May 2029) [6]
Personal Injury Trust awards	$16,294 (Non-NAS Tier 1), $8,147 (Non-NAS Tier 2), $25,653 (NAS), each before attorneys’ fees, costs, and medical liens [3]
Personal Injury Trust claim deadline	July 28, 2025, 11:59 p.m. ET (passed). A 15-day grace period ended August 12, 2025 [3][4]
Trust payments	Expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026, per the Trust’s June 8, 2026 update [3]

Three details in that table trip people up. The sentence and the victim fund are different things. The fine and forfeiture are penalties owed to the government, not compensation for patients. And the $5.544 billion is what the court ordered, not what Purdue will hand over in cash, since the DOJ says the fine is assessed in connection with the bankruptcy and part of the forfeiture can be credited.[1]

What Happened to Purdue Pharma L.P. in Federal Court

Purdue pleaded guilty in November 2020. It admitted that from May 2007 through at least March 2017 it misled the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) about its anti-diversion program while continuing to market to more than 100 health care providers it had good reason to believe were diverting opioids.[1] It also admitted paying kickbacks to two doctors through its speaker program and to the electronic health records company Practice Fusion to encourage opioid prescribing.[1]

Judge Arleo deferred her decision on the plea agreement until sentencing, as the plea terms allowed.[1] On April 28, 2026, she accepted it and imposed the penalties above.[1][2] Only the company was charged. The DOJ’s case page lists the charges against Purdue Pharma L.P. alone, and the Sackler family separately agreed to pay $225 million to resolve civil False Claims Act liability.[1]

Did Purdue Pharma Really Dissolve? The May 1, 2026 Effective Date

A Trust update and a set of state attorney general announcements put the plan’s effective date at May 1, 2026.[3][6] On that date Purdue’s manufacturing operations transferred to Knoa Pharma LLC, which the attorneys general describe as overseen by a board with no connection to Purdue.[6] The settlement prevents Knoa from marketing opioids and provides for an independent monitor.[6] It also requires Purdue and the Sacklers to make public more than 30 million documents about their opioid business.[6]

One limit on what we can tell you: the sources we reviewed describe the transfer of operations, not the formal winding up of every Purdue legal entity. If you need to know the status of a specific Purdue entity, check the bankruptcy docket or ask a lawyer.

What the Purdue Sentence Means for People Harmed by OxyContin

It doesn’t create a new claim. The criminal case is the government against the company. The plan set up separate trusts for individual injury claims.

Restitution is contested. The DOJ’s case page, updated June 24, 2026, lists a fine, a forfeiture, and a document repository as the sentence, and does not describe a restitution order. It also reports that one individual has petitioned the Third Circuit for a writ of mandamus under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3771(d)(3), claiming a right to restitution (Third Circuit No. 26-2159), and gives notice that other potential victims may join.[1] We could not confirm the status of that petition. Check the Third Circuit docket before relying on it.

Individual payments come from the Purdue Personal Injury Trust. The Trust has computed awards of $16,294 for Non-NAS Tier 1, $8,147 for Non-NAS Tier 2, and $25,653 for NAS claims, before deductions for the claimant’s own attorneys’ fees, costs, and medical liens.[3] It says a second payment may follow once all contingencies are resolved.[3] Older reporting on the 2021 plan that the Supreme Court later blocked cited a range of $3,500 to $48,000. Those figures do not describe the current Trust.[10]

Who Could Claim From the Purdue Personal Injury Trust (Eligibility)

The Trust’s requirements for a Non-NAS claim were:[3]

1. Hold a claim against a Purdue debtor for opioid-related personal injury that arose before the September 15, 2019 petition date.
2. Show use of a Purdue-prescribed “Qualifying Opioid” before the petition date.
3. Have timely filed an individual personal injury proof of claim in the bankruptcy. A proof of claim filed before September 21, 2021 is treated as timely unless it was disallowed.

For a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) claim, the claimant also needed proof of a diagnosis of a condition resulting from intrauterine exposure to opioids, and for minors, a proxy form.[3][5] Heirs or authorized representatives could file for a deceased person.[4]

The window has closed. The Trust states that claim forms received after August 12, 2025 will not be qualified claims.[3][4] Third-party payors such as insurers and health plans had a separate trust. Its claims deadline was September 30, 2025 after an extension, and it posted initial determinations on June 22, 2026.[8] Individuals with personal injury claims are not third-party payors.[8]

What to Do Now If You Filed a Purdue Personal Injury Claim

1. Watch for a claim status letter. The Trust said it would send letters over the months after June 2026 saying whether a claim is Qualified and Allowed, along with any appeal rights.[3] If you have an attorney, letters go to your attorney. Otherwise they go to you.[3]
2. Keep your address current. If you are unrepresented and have moved, email [email protected] with the injured party’s name and your new address.[3]
3. If your claim is denied, note the appeal step. The Trust says a denied claimant who was not disallowed by a Final Order of the Bankruptcy Court and who timely filed a proof of claim may have appeal rights. Appeals go to the Special Master and carry a mandatory $500 appeal fee. Details will be in the denial letter.[4]
4. Expect deductions. The award figures are before your attorneys’ fees, costs, and medical liens.[3] The Trust has a Lien Resolution page.
5. Use only the official site. The Trust’s website is purduepitrust.com.[3] Our guide, How to Spot Fake Class Action Settlement Notices? Complete Consumer Guide, covers the red flags for fake claim messages. Purdue is not a class action, but the scam patterns are the same.

Objection and Opt-Out Guidance for the Purdue Plan

The plan was confirmed on November 18, 2025, so the voting and objection stages are over.[3] The plan’s release terms, including how the Sackler family releases work, are in the confirmed plan itself, and we did not review that language directly. If you are trying to decide whether you still have any claim against a Sackler family member, that is a question for a licensed attorney reading the plan.

Purdue Pharma Timeline: Key Dates

Date	Event
September 15, 2019	Bankruptcy petition date [3]
November 24, 2020	Purdue pleads guilty to three felony counts [1]
June 2024	U.S. Supreme Court invalidates provisions of an earlier settlement [6]
April 15, 2025	Bankruptcy court appoints the Personal Injury claims administrator and sets claims deadlines [3]
July 28, 2025	Personal Injury Trust claim deadline (grace period to August 12, 2025) [3][4]
September 30, 2025	Third-Party Payor Trust claim form deadline, as extended [8]
November 18, 2025	Bankruptcy plan confirmed [3]
April 28, 2026	Criminal sentence imposed in D.N.J. [1][2]
May 1, 2026	Plan effective; operations transfer to Knoa Pharma LLC; Personal Injury Trust funded [3][6]
June 8, 2026	Trust says awards computed and distributions expected to begin in Q3 2026 [3]
May 2027, May 2028, May 2029	Scheduled Sackler installments of approximately $500M, $500M, and $400M [6]

For earlier background on the settlement, see our coverage in Oxycodone Lawsuit, $7.4 Billion Settlement Approved—Purdue Pharma Who Make OxyContin & Sacklers Ordered to Pay After Supreme Court Rejection and OxyContin Lawsuit, $7.4 Billion Settlement Approved – Latest 2025 Update. More on the general process is in How To Claim A Lawsuit Settlement? Guide To Getting Paid. Related coverage is in our Medical and Personal Injury sections.

When to Talk to a Lawyer About Your Purdue Pharma Claim

You should consider a licensed attorney if:

• You get a denial letter and want to decide whether to pay the $500 Special Master appeal fee.[4]
• You received an award figure and need to understand how attorneys’ fees, costs, and medical liens will reduce it.[3]
• You missed the July 28, 2025 deadline and want to know whether any other route exists. The Trust says late claims are not qualified, so this needs individual advice.[3]
• You lost a family member and are unsure who has authority to act for the estate.[4]
• You want to know whether the Crime Victims’ Rights Act restitution petition in the Third Circuit affects you.[1]
• Someone contacts you offering to “speed up” or “guarantee” a Purdue payment for a fee.

FAQ

How much was Purdue Pharma ordered to pay in its April 28, 2026 federal sentence?

A $3.544 billion criminal fine and a $2 billion criminal forfeiture, totaling $5.544 billion before a credit of up to $1.775 billion against the forfeiture.[1][2] The DOJ’s own release describes penalties of over $5 billion.[2]

Was Purdue Pharma L.P. dissolved after the sentence?

The plan took effect on May 1, 2026, and Purdue’s manufacturing operations transferred to Knoa Pharma LLC that day.[3][6] We did not confirm the formal dissolution of each Purdue legal entity.

Do OxyContin victims receive money from Purdue’s $5.544 billion criminal sentence?

No. The fine and forfeiture are criminal penalties owed to the government. The DOJ page describes a credit toward the forfeiture tied to value going to state, local, and tribal governments, and does not describe restitution to individuals.[1] Individual awards come from the Purdue Personal Injury Trust.[3]

Can I still file a claim with the Purdue Personal Injury Trust?

No, based on the Trust’s website. The deadline was July 28, 2025, with a grace period through August 12, 2025, and later claims are not qualified.[3][4]

When will Purdue Personal Injury Trust payments arrive?

The Trust’s June 8, 2026 update said distributions were expected to begin in the third quarter of 2026, after claim status letters go out.[3] We could not confirm from the Trust’s site whether payments have started as of September 28, 2026.

Were the Sackler family members criminally charged in the Purdue Pharma case?

The DOJ’s case page lists criminal charges against Purdue Pharma L.P. only, and says the Sackler family agreed to pay $225 million to resolve civil False Claims Act liability.[1]

Is a message about a Purdue Pharma payout legitimate?

Only if it points to the Trust’s official site (purduepitrust.com) or the claims agent for your category.[3][7] Never pay a fee to receive a Purdue award.

Sources

1. U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, United States v. Purdue Pharma L.P. (case page, updated June 24, 2026): https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-purdue-pharma-lp
2. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, “Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma Sentenced for Fraud and Kickback Conspiracies,” Press Release No. 26-384 (Apr. 28, 2026): https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/opioid-manufacturer-purdue-pharma-sentenced-fraud-and-kickback-conspiracies
3. Purdue Personal Injury Trust, home page, “Claims Processing Update as of June 8, 2026”: https://purduepitrust.com/
4. Purdue Personal Injury Trust, Non-NAS PI Claims page: https://purduepitrust.com/?page_id=45
5. Purdue Personal Injury Trust, NAS PI Claims page: https://purduepitrust.com/?page_id=50
6. State attorney general announcements, May 1, 2026 (settlement effective; Knoa Pharma LLC; Sackler payment schedule; 30 million documents): Colorado, https://coag.gov/press-releases/purdue-sackler-7-4b-nationwide-opioid-settlement-goes-into-effect/; New Jersey, https://www.njoag.gov/purdue-sackler-7-4-billion-opioid-settlement-goes-into-effect/; Maryland, https://oag.maryland.gov/News/pages/Attorney-General-Brown-Announces-Purdue-Sackler-$7.4-Billion-Opioid-Settlement-To-Go-Into-Effect-.aspx
7. Kroll Restructuring Administration, Purdue Pharma L.P., Case No. 19-23649 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y.): https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/purduepharma/EPOC-Index
8. Purdue Third-Party Payor Trust (Kroll): https://restructuring.ra.kroll.com/purduetpptrust/
9. Crime Victims’ Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3771 (as summarized on the DOJ case page, source 1).
10. Associated Press via Fortune, “Sackler family to pay fine of $4.5 billion as OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma is dissolved” (Sept. 1, 2021), for the superseded 2021 plan’s $3,500 to $48,000 range (background only): https://fortune.com/2021/09/01/sackler-family-fine-4-5-billion-oxycontin-purdue-pharma-dissolved

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. Facts verified against the U.S. Department of Justice case page and press release, the Purdue Personal Injury Trust website, the Kroll claims agent sites, and state attorney general announcements, as of September 28, 2026. Last Updated: September 28, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Claim rules, deadlines, and appeal rights depend on your individual circumstances. For advice about your claim, consult a licensed attorney.