A former McKinsey & Co partner has filed a lawsuit against the consulting firm, claiming defamation. He alleges he was unfairly targeted to shift focus away from McKinsey’s work with Purdue Pharma and other opioid makers.
Arnab Ghatak, who was fired in 2021, filed the lawsuit in a New York state court shortly after reports emerged of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into McKinsey’s role in the opioid epidemic.
The lawsuit revolves around accusations that McKinsey obstructed justice by terminating two partners involved in deleting documents related to their opioid work.
Ghatak, one of the dismissed partners, argues that McKinsey misrepresented the reasons for their firings.
He accuses McKinsey’s global managing partner, Bob Sternfels, of giving false testimony to Congress about why the partners were fired. Ghatak claims McKinsey created a false story to divert attention from its extensive history of advising on opioids that lacked abuse deterrents.
Opiods (Via Ray Jones/Shutterstock)
Ghatak is seeking unspecified damages from McKinsey and Sternfels, alleging that their actions have harmed his reputation and career prospects.
McKinsey has dismissed the lawsuit as groundless, reaffirming its decision to fire Ghatak for violating professional standards. The U.S. Department of Justice has not commented on the case.
This legal action adds another layer of scrutiny to McKinsey’s involvement in the opioid crisis, following its agreement to pay nearly $1 billion to settle lawsuits related to its role.
Despite ceasing to advise on opioid-related businesses and denying wrongdoing in previous settlements, the lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about McKinsey’s conduct in advising Purdue Pharma and others during the opioid epidemic.
