By Nate Raymond
(Reuters) – A former McKinsey & Co associate sued the worldwide consulting agency on Friday and accused it of defaming him and making him a “scapegoat” to distract consideration from its work advising OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and different producers of opioid ache drugs.
Arnab Ghatak, who was fired in 2021, filed the lawsuit in New York state court docket simply two days after Reuters and others reported that the U.S. Division of Justice was conducting a prison investigation of McKinsey’s function within the U.S. opioid epidemic.
A part of that investigation considerations whether or not McKinsey obstructed justice, an inquiry associated to McKinsey’s disclosure that it had fired two companions who communicated about deleting paperwork associated to their opioids work, folks conversant in the matter stated.
These companions included Ghatak, who had been a senior associate and McKinsey’s international head of medical affairs. In his lawsuit, Ghatak alleged that McKinsey and its international managing associate, Bob Sternfels, lied to the U.S. Congress and the general public about his function deleting emails.
Ghatak accused Sternfels of deceptive Congress when he testified earlier than a Home of Representatives committee in 2022 that the 2 companions have been terminated for violating a doc retention coverage, one which Ghatak stated actually didn’t exist.
He stated McKinsey knew no proof existed of him improperly deleting emails, but had promoted the narrative “to create a scapegoat as a diversion from their very own a long time lengthy work in non abuse deterrent opioids.”
The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from McKinsey and Sternfels, who was additionally named as a defendant.
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A spokesperson for McKinsey known as the grievance “totally meritless.”
“We terminated him for severe violations of our skilled requirements,” the McKinsey spokesperson stated. “We totally stand by our choice to terminate Dr. Ghatak and by our public statements on the matter.”
A U.S. Division of Justice spokesperson didn’t reply to a request for remark.
McKinsey beforehand agreed to pay almost $1 billion to settle widespread opioid lawsuits and different associated authorized actions by states, native governments, college districts, Native American tribes and well being insurers accusing it of contributing to a lethal U.S. opioid habit epidemic.
McKinsey in 2019 stated it will not advise shoppers on any opioid-related companies. McKinsey didn’t admit to wrongdoing in these civil settlements.
Purdue pleaded responsible in 2020 to prices over its dealing with of opioids. A multi-billion-dollar settlement it reached in chapter court docket resolving lawsuits alleging it fueled the epidemic is on maintain whereas the U.S. Supreme Courtroom considers a problem by the Biden administration to the deal.
