The Latest: Drug company founder disappointed in conviction

The Latest on the conviction of a drug company and four executives in a scheme to bribe doctors across the U.S. to prescribe a powerful opioid (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

A lawyer for a drug company founder convicted of bribing doctors to prescribe a powerful opioid is vowing to keep fighting the case.

Beth Wilkinson says in an emailed statement that she and Insys Therapeutics Founder John Kapoor are disappointed in Thursday’s verdict, but will “continue the fight to clear Dr. Kapoor’s name.”

Kapoor and four other former executives of the Chandler, Arizona-based company were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy.

Wilkinson said the lengthy jury deliberations “confirm that this was far from an open-and-shut case.”

All five of them have denied wrongdoing.

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2:48 p.m.

The wealthy founder of a drug company has been convicted of scheming to bribe doctors across the country to prescribe a highly addictive fentanyl spray.

A jury found Insys Therapeutics Founder and former CEO John Kapoor guilty of racketeering conspiracy on Thursday after 15 days of deliberations.

Four other former employees of the Chandler, Arizona-based company were also convicted.

Prosecutors said Kapoor and the others conspired to bribe doctors to boost sales for the opioid meant for cancer patients with severe pain.

An attorney for Kapoor sought to shift blame onto the company’s former vice president of sales, who pleaded guilty in November.

The others charged in the case have also denied wrongdoing.

Two other high-level executives, who pleaded guilty in the case, testified against Kapoor.

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