Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty

by Patrick Radden Keefe

At a glance, the $4.3 billion figure might seem like a lot of money. But the fine print of the deal stipulated that the Sacklers would pay it out slowly, over nine years. Because their remaining fortune, estimated to be roughly $11 billion, continued to generate huge annual income in the form of interest and investment returns, they would likely be able to pay the whole sum without ever touching their principal.