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Opioid Crisis

Business
Rite Aid Plans To Close 400-Plus Stores, Report Says Rite Aid Plans To Close 400-Plus Stores, Report Says
Rite Aid Plans To Close 400-Plus Stores, Report Says Rite Aid will close 400 to 500 stores as part of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, according to a new report. The drugstore chain is now negotiating with creditors to formulate a bankruptcy plan that would include liquidating a substantial portion of its more than 2,100 drugstores, The Wall Street Journal says. Rite Aid is facing over $3 billion in debt and more than a thousand federal lawsuits alleging it oversupplied opioids, the report said. Founded 61 years ago in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Rite Aid moved its headquarters to Philadelphia in 2022. Click here to read the complet…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits
Purdue Pharma Reaches $6B Settlement With US States Over Thousands Of Opioid-Related Lawsuits OxyContin creators Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family have reached a $6 billion settlement over their roles in the ongoing opioid crisis plaguing the country. The announcement comes following an earlier deal made with Purdue, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, that was ultimately appealed by eight states and the District of Columbia until the Sacklers kicked in more cash to get the deal done. Earlier story - NY, Other States Reach $4.5B Settlement With Purdue Pharma Over Its Role In Opioid Epidemic The $6 billion will be paid out over the course of 18 years, with larger payments fro…

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by Zak Failla
Business
Stamford-Based Purdue Pharma Admits To Crimes, Facing Billions In Fines For Opioid Crisis Role Stamford-Based Purdue Pharma Admits To Crimes, Facing Billions In Fines For Opioid Crisis Role
Stamford-Based Purdue Pharma Admits To Crimes, Facing Billions In Fines For Opioid Crisis Role Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, has agreed to pay billions of dollars in fines and will plead guilty to federal criminal charges for its role in the nation’s opioid crisis. The Fairfield County-based Connecticut company agreed to plead guilty in federal court in New Jersey to a three-count indictment that includes one count of dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute. As part of the agreement, Purdue Pharma, whose headquarters is in Stamford, will…

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by Zak Failla
News
Bridgeport Man Who Distributed Heroin To Overdose Victim Sentenced Bridgeport Man Who Distributed Heroin To Overdose Victim Sentenced
Bridgeport Man Who Distributed Heroin To Overdose Victim Sentenced A Fairfield County man will spend years behind bars after being busted selling heroin to undercover officers. Bridgeport resident Talvin Hinton, 43, was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distributing heroin in the area, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. The sentence stems from a statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users. On Sept. 23, 2017, the Stratford Police Department and paramedics responded to a suspected overdose of a 25-…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Three Alleged Drug Dealers Nabbed In Greenwich Bust, Police Say Three Alleged Drug Dealers Nabbed In Greenwich Bust, Police Say
Three Alleged Drug Dealers Nabbed In Greenwich Bust, Police Say Three alleged Greenwich drug dealers were arrested after residents expressed concern about drug sales taking place around the Adams Garden housing complex, Greenwich Police said. The bust went down early Friday, July 19, when police served numerous warrants at a residence on Bertoflf Road as a result of an investigation following the complaints, said Greenwich Capt. Robert L. Berry. During the execution of the warrant, police arrested three men including Todd R. Fraiser, 33, Dshon Kyean McShaw, 28, and Malcolm L. Moody, 27, all of 6 Bertolf Road, after police uncovered heroin, crack cocaine…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Man Who Sold Drugs Involved In Two Overdose Deaths Sentenced Man Who Sold Drugs Involved In Two Overdose Deaths Sentenced
Man Who Sold Drugs Involved In Two Overdose Deaths Sentenced A drug dealer with a criminal history dating back three decades will spend the better part of a decade behind bars for his role in a pair of overdose deaths in Connecticut. Alex “Red” Borrero, 51, of New Haven, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison, followed by six years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney John Durham announced. The sentencing comes as part of “an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.” On Feb. 28, 2017, officers from the Walli…

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by Zak Failla
News
Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses Reported In 15-Hour Span In Hartford, Police Say Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses Reported In 15-Hour Span In Hartford, Police Say
Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses Reported In 15-Hour Span In Hartford, Police Say The opioid crisis came to a head in Hartford this week, as police responded to multiple fatal overdoses in just a 15-hour stretch, police said. Officers from the Hartford Police Department reported that between approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, June 3 through noon on Tuesday, June 4, officers were dispatched to five fatal fentanyl overdoses throughout the city. According to police, the fatal overdoses were different, and officers found fentanyl in pill form, powder form, mixed with heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine. The fatal overdoses came hours after officers seized 100 bags of heroin/fent…

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by Zak Failla
News
10-Month Investigation Leads To Takedown Of Major Drug Ring In Westchester, Connecticut, NYC 10-Month Investigation Leads To Takedown Of Major Drug Ring In Westchester, Connecticut, NYC
10-Month Investigation Leads To Takedown Of Major Drug Ring In Westchester, Connecticut, NYC A 10-month investigation into opioid sales in Westchester, Connecticut, Brooklyn and the Bronx, led to the takedown of a major drug ring that purchased and sold tens of thousands of prescription pills. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Thursday that two indictments have been unsealed in Bronx County Supreme Court charging 28 co-conspirators with conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and other charges in a 181 count indictment. James said that the investigation - dubbed Operation Oxy-Concourse - led to…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Michael Bloomberg Rules Out 2020 Presidential Run Michael Bloomberg Rules Out 2020 Presidential Run
Michael Bloomberg Rules Out 2020 Presidential Run Another prominent New York politician has taken his hat out of the ring for a potential presidential run in 2020. Billionaire Mike Bloomberg announced on Tuesday that he will not be challenging President Donald Trump for a seat in the Oval Office, citing the difficulty of winning the Democratic nomination in such a crowded field. His announcement comes a day after Chappaqua’s Hillary Clinton bowed out of the race. Bloomberg - the former New York City mayor who owns a Northern Westchester estate in North Salem - noting that he is three-for-three in elections, said he believes he could win e…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Greenwich Police Charge Man In Connection With Overdose Death Greenwich Police Charge Man In Connection With Overdose Death
Greenwich Police Charge Man In Connection With Overdose Death A 43-year-old man who allegedly provided a fatal dose of fentanyl and heroin that led to an overdose death in a Greenwich hotel has been charged with manslaughter. Daniel T. Linfante, of Queens, who is currently being held in New York City and awaiting extradition to Connecticut, was arrested by the NYPD Fugitive Task Force,  on Thursday, Dec. 13, said the Greenwich Police Department. Greenwich Police discovered the death when summoned to a hotel in Greenwich on Sept. 29 on a report of a deceased person, said Capt. Robert L. Berry. Upon arrival, officers found a dead man in one o…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
19-Year-Old Admits To Selling Heroin to Teen Overdose Victim 19-Year-Old Admits To Selling Heroin to Teen Overdose Victim
19-Year-Old Admits To Selling Heroin to Teen Overdose Victim A 19-year-old drug dealer has admitted to selling the heroin that led to the fatal overdose of a 17-year-old in Connecticut. Winsted resident Anthony Hunt waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in Hartford Federal Court on Thursday to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of, heroin. The arrest comes as part of an ongoing statewide crackdown targeting narcotics dealers who sell opioids that lead to fatal incidents. According to court documents, shortly before 5:45 p.m. on June 2, Connecticut State Police troopers responded to a family-owned boat in W…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
CT To Get $10M Federal Grant For Opioid Crisis, Mental Health Disorders CT To Get $10M Federal Grant For Opioid Crisis, Mental Health Disorders
CT To Get $10M Federal Grant For Opioid Crisis, Mental Health Disorders Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced on Monday, Aug. 13 that Connecticut is receiving a $10 million federal grant that will be used to increase access to care for individuals with substance use, mental health and co-occurring disorders.  Funding will also be used to address the opioid crisis in the state by increasing access to medication-assisted treatment.  The grant has been awarded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). “Our state has always been committed to leveraging any federal resou…

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by Jon Craig
News
Man Faces Felony After Dropping 'Heroin Spoon' At Purdue Pharma In Stamford Man Faces Felony After Dropping 'Heroin Spoon' At Purdue Pharma In Stamford
Man Faces Felony After Dropping 'Heroin Spoon' At Purdue Pharma In Stamford A Stamford art gallery owner was arrested for depositing an 800-pound steel sculpture of a bent heroin spoon in front of Purdue Pharma, according to multiple sources. Fernando Luis Alvarez was arrested about an hour after "installing" the spoon at 8:30 a.m. Friday and charged with obstruction of free passage and interfering with police, a felony, in front of the 201 Tresser Blvd. corporate headquarters, reported the Hartford Courant. Alvarez, whose Bedford Street gallery is opening an exhibit on the opioid crisis Friday night, was arrested because the spoon blocked an automatic en…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
CT Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Heroin, Fentanyl To OD Victim CT Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Heroin, Fentanyl To OD Victim
CT Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Heroin, Fentanyl To OD Victim As part of a statewide police crackdown, a Connecticut man is facing two decades in prison after pleading guilty to selling opioids that led to a fatal overdose. John Durham, the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced this week that 22-year-old Hartford resident Jose Gonzalez - who has aliases that include “Montana,” “Beat Montana,” and Carl Montana - has pleaded guilty in federal court to individual counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 10…

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by Zak Failla
News
Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Narcotics To CT Overdose Victim Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Narcotics To CT Overdose Victim
Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Narcotics To CT Overdose Victim A 37-year-old Connecticut man waived his right to being indicted and pleaded guilty in Hartford to distributing heroin and cocaine.  John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, said that Ulpiano Lugo of Groton entered his guilty plea on Tuesday, May 8 before Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello. This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to drug users. According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 22, 2017, at about …

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by Jon Craig
Business
CT-Based OxyContin Manufacturer Lays Off Half Of Its Sales Staff CT-Based OxyContin Manufacturer Lays Off Half Of Its Sales Staff
Ct-based OxyContin Manufacturer Lays Off Half Of Its Sales Staff Purdue Pharma, the Stamford drug manufacturer that created the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin has laid off half of its 400-member sales team and will no longer promote the prescription drug to doctors. The news, announced with a flurry full-page ads by the drug company in the country’s largest newspapers, according to this report in The Hartford Courant, is part of a corporate campaign by Purdue to preserve the drug’s brand and its own, both of which are being blamed in part for the country’s spiraling opioid crisis. Last week, Westchester County filed a lawsuit against more than 30 o…

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by Jon Craig