American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals Season 14 Episode 4 The Fall of an Opioid Mogul

In season 14 episode 4 of American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels and Scandals, we delve into the story of a former pharmaceutical executive who rose to power as an opioid mogul before ultimately falling from grace. The episode explores the massive profits and widespread addiction epidemic caused by the opioid crisis and how one man's greed resulted in countless deaths and ruined lives.

The episode begins with an overview of the pharmaceutical industry's aggressive marketing strategies for prescription painkillers such as OxyContin. Journalists, doctors, and former addicts provide insight into how these drugs were falsely marketed as non-addictive and promoted as a solution for chronic pain. We are then introduced to John Kapoor, the CEO of Insys Therapeutics, a company that created a highly concentrated form of fentanyl and aggressively marketed it to doctors, despite knowing the risks of addiction and overdose.

Throughout the episode, we learn about Kapoor's rise to power and his shady business practices, which included bribing doctors to overprescribe his company's drugs, misleading insurance companies, and defrauding Medicare. We hear from former employees who describe a toxic work environment fueled by greed and deceit, with sales reps earning lucrative bonuses for pushing high doses of the company's Opioid drugs.

Things start to unravel for Kapoor when investigations are launched into his conduct. The episode covers the court case against Kapoor, where prosecutors highlight his role in the devastating opioid epidemic, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Americans. We hear from victims and their families, who describe how the addiction to Kapoor's drugs destroyed their lives and led to numerous deaths. Experts in the medical field also weigh in on the ethical considerations around prescribing opioids and the need for individual accountability in a larger system of corporate greed.

American Greed: Scams, Scoundrels, and Scandals season 14 episode 4, The Fall of an Opioid Mogul, paints a grim picture of the greed and corruption that fueled the opioid crisis. The episode offers a sobering reminder of the human cost of corporate greed.