Shop at a Michigan Walgreens? Drug Store Agrees to $350M Settlement

Walgreens has agreed to a $350 million settlement with the US government, which claims it illegally filled millions of prescriptions.

The complaint from the US Department of Justice claims Walgreens pharmacists filled prescriptions "despite clear red flags indicating a high likelihood that the prescriptions were invalid."

Walgreens Agrees to Pay up to $350 Million for Illegally Filling Unlawful Opioid Prescriptions

Walgreens has agreed to pay up to $350 million in a settlement with the United States Department of Justice, which says the chain illegally filled millions of prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in the last decade.

Walgreens in Michigan

The national drug store chain has about 225 locations in roughly 125 Michigan cities. The chain has about 8,500 stores in the US, after shuttering about 70 locations in 2024.

Walgreens Boots Alliance announced earlier this year that it is being sold to Sycamore Partners, which means it will no longer be a publicly-traded company.

A sale to a private equity firm could affect the terms of the government settlement. According to the Associated Press, Walgreens must pay the government at least $300 million and will owe another $50 million if the company is sold.

Government Suit Alleges Walgreens Filled Millions of Illegal Prescriptions

The government complaint, filed in early January, alleges Walgreens pharmacists knowingly filled millions of illegal prescriptions for controlled substances between August 2012 and March 2023.

The complaint goes on to say that Walgreens then "sought payment for many of those invalid prescriptions by Medicare and other federal health care programs."

Walgreens Denise Responsibility

In a statement to the AP, a Walgreens spokesperson said the chain disagrees with the government ruling and admits no liability.