US accuses Walgreens of filling unlawful opioid prescriptions | Money [Video]

(CNN) — The U.S. Justice Department on Friday accused pharmacy chain operator Walgreens Boots Alliance of contributing to the U.S. opioid epidemic by filling millions of unlawful prescriptions for addictive painkillers and other drugs.

The department intervened in a whistleblower lawsuit filed in federal court in Chicago and accused Walgreens of ignoring “red flags” and filling prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose.

“These practices allowed millions of opioid pills and other controlled substances to flow illegally out of Walgreens stores,” Brian Boynton, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in a statement.

The lawsuit alleged that by knowingly filling unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances, Walgreens violated the Controlled Substances Act. The government also alleged it violated the False Claims Act when it then sought reimbursement from federal health care programs, like Medicare, for the prescriptions.

The lawsuit was announced after Walgreens filed its own lawsuit on …