McKinsey under US criminal investigation for involvement in opioid industry

McKinsey, a global consulting firm, is now facing a criminal investigation in the US over its work for opioid manufacturers, adding to the mounting pressure on the company. The firm has already paid nearly $1 billion to settle civil claims that its advice contributed to the epidemic of drug addiction in the country.

Federal prosecutors are looking into whether McKinsey obstructed justice as concerns about its work for Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, and other drug manufacturers were growing. The firm has been accused of advising these companies on how to increase sales, thus exacerbating the opioid crisis in the US.

Despite McKinsey’s claims that its advice was legal, the firm has made changes to its client selection process and has not been involved in opioid-related work since 2019. Additionally, two partners were fired for discussing the deletion of documents related to their opioid work in emails that were made public in 2020.

The US Department of Justice has been investigating McKinsey’s activities for several years, and a grand jury has been convened in Virginia to review the evidence and determine if criminal charges should be brought against the firm. Another McKinsey client, Endo International, has also been subpoenaed for documents related to the consulting company.

The opioid crisis has had devastating consequences in the US, with hundreds of thousands of Americans losing their lives to overdoses. In 2023 alone, more than 112,000 Americans died from overdoses, making it the leading cause of death among adults aged 18 to 45. McKinsey’s involvement in this crisis has sparked outrage and calls for accountability.