Department Of Justice Sues Walmart For Controlled Substances Act Violations

On December 22, 2020, the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a nationwide civil complaint against Walmart Inc. for violating the Controlled Substances Act. The DOJ alleges that the company’s pharmacies unlawfully dispensed controlled substances (opioid pain relievers) and unlawfully distributed controlled substances (opioids) to its pharmacies throughout the height of the prescription opioid crisis.

The DOJ seeks an injunction and seeks civil penalties, which it estimates could total billions due to the number of individual violations. The civil penalty for each unlawful prescription is up to $67,627; the penalty is $15,691 for each suspicious order not . . .