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Empire of Pain

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Patrick Radden Keefe

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The history of the Sackler dynasty is marked by dramatic personal lives, fierce family disputes, and lavish art collections, alongside Machiavellian courtroom tactics and strategic philanthropy. The Sackler name is associated with prestigious institutions like Harvard and the Louvre, yet the origins of their immense wealth were obscured until it was revealed that they played a pivotal role in creating a blockbuster painkiller that fueled the opioid crisis. The narrative begins with three doctor brothers—Raymond, Mortimer, and the dynamic Arthur—who overcame the hardships of the Great Depression and rampant anti-Semitism. Arthur's groundbreaking research at a mental institution led him to revolutionize drug marketing, notably for Valium, establishing the family's first fortune. He acquired Purdue Frederick, which was managed by Raymond and Mortimer, leading to a life of luxury for their descendants. Decades later, Raymond's son Richard oversaw Purdue, employing Arthur's marketing strategies to launch OxyContin, a drug that generated billions but also triggered a devastating public health crisis. This saga spans three generations, exploring the family's impact from early twentieth-century Brooklyn to affluent locales and Washington, D.C. It chronicles the Sacklers' legal battles and their efforts to evade accountability, offering a compelling portrait of America's second Gilded Age and the stark indifference to human suffering t