Jonathan Sackler, co-owner of embattled OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, dead at 65

Jonathan Sackler, the co-owner of embattled OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, died at age 65 last week, the company confirmed to The Hill on Monday.

He died on June 30 of cancer, a court filing read, according to The Associated Press.

The co-owner was the son of Raymond Sackler, one of the brothers who bought the company in 1952 when it was called Purdue Frederick. 

Jonathan Sackler had served as a board member and executive for the firm that was later renamed Purdue Pharma. He had resigned from the board in recent years along with other family members, but the family continued ownership of the company.

Purdue Pharma has sought bankruptcy protection as it attempts to settle almost 3,000 lawsuits from state and local governments who accuse the company of triggering the opioid crisis with its drug OxyContin. Hundreds of these suits name the family members directly.

The opioid crisis has killed more than 400,000 people since 2000, the AP reported. 

Purdue Pharma’s settlement plan requires the family to pay at least $3 billion and give up ownership.