Why did critics say the $8.3 billion 2020 settlement was hollow?

The headline figure was far larger than what the government expected to collect. Purdue agreed to a $3.54 billion criminal fine, a $2 billion criminal forfeiture and a $2.8 billion civil penalty, but prosecutors agreed to accept $225 million toward the forfeiture if Purdue reorganised into a public benefit company, and the fine and civil penalty were likely to receive cents on the dollar in bankruptcy.

Sackler family members separately paid $225 million to resolve civil claims but admitted no wrongdoing, and neither the family nor any Purdue executives were criminally charged. Critics noted that Purdue had reportedly earned more than $30 billion from OxyContin. Supporters of the deal argued that routing value to communities through bankruptcy was more useful than years of further litigation.