• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

New

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Watch Fortune Daily, our new video show that brings you inside the Fortune newsroom and the boardroom

Maker of generic Lipitor pleads guilty to selling ‘adulterated drugs’

By
Katherine Eban
Katherine Eban
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Katherine Eban
Katherine Eban
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 13, 2013, 4:45 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

FORTUNE — Indian generic drug-maker Ranbaxy Laboratories pleaded guilty Monday to seven federal criminal counts of selling adulterated drugs with intent to defraud, failing to report that its drugs didn’t meet specifications, and making intentionally false statements to the government.

As part of the proceedings in Baltimore federal court Monday morning, a whistleblower lawsuit against Ranbaxy was also unsealed. The company will pay a total of $500 million in criminal and civil penalties to resolve the criminal case and the whistleblower suit.

Ranbaxy has been grappling with quality issues for years. In 2008, the Food & Drug Administration took a highly unusual step, barring the importation of 30 drugs from two of Ranbaxy’s plants in India. The FDA slapped the company with what’s called an “Application Integrity Policy,” halting the review of new drug applications from one of the company’s Indian facilities until Ranbaxy proved its truthfulness.

MORE: Actavis – what it’s like to join the Fortune 500

The U.S. Department of Justice added more restrictions in January 2012, when it placed Ranbaxy under a sweeping consent decree. This time Ranbaxy was barred from selling drugs in the U.S.that were made at several of its Indian plants until the quality could be verified. The Justice Department also required the company to undergo independent auditing.

Despite the ongoing regulatory and legal travails, in November 2011, the FDA allowed Ranbaxy to proceed with exclusive first rights to sell a generic version of the anti-cholesterol medication Lipitor. One year later, Ranbaxy recalled 41 lots of generic Lipitor after glass particles were found inside them. In March of this year, the FDA permitted Ranbaxy to resume sales of the drug, and Fortune has learned that the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs recently signed a large contract to buy the Ranbaxy drug, according to a company insider.

In several days, Fortune will publish a lengthy investigation examining the fraud at Ranbaxy.

About the Author
By Katherine Eban
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

‘Baffling’: White House won’t publicly release AI model evaluation framework it reviewed today with OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and others
White House
‘Baffling’: White House won’t publicly release AI model evaluation framework it reviewed today with OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft and others
By Emily ForliniAugust 4, 2026
1 hour ago
The remains of the German tugboat wreckage marked as UJ-106 in the Danube River.
Environmentwater use and conservation
Danube River’s shrinking water levels expose dozens of World War II ships
By The Associated Press and Marko DrobnjakovicAugust 4, 2026
3 hours ago
Firefighters work to extinguish a wildfire.
EnvironmentFire
Europe’s long, hot summer leads to thousands evacuated and fire operators dead
By The Associated Press, Derek Gatopoulos and Sylvie CorbetAugust 4, 2026
3 hours ago
Trump meets AI giants, Senate Dems decry ‘unpredictable’ governance — and cheap Chinese AI looms as giant security risk
AIDonald Trump
Trump meets AI giants, Senate Dems decry ‘unpredictable’ governance — and cheap Chinese AI looms as giant security risk
By Catherina GioinoAugust 4, 2026
3 hours ago
Man in black in front of a blue background.
Big TechSpaceX
SpaceX revenue surges to $7.8 billion, blowing past Wall Street expectations by nearly $1 billion
By Amanda GerutAugust 4, 2026
4 hours ago
New York Attorney General Letitia James looks to her right at a news conference.
LawDonald Trump
20 states and DC sue as Trump moves to share low-income families’ data with immigration authorities
By The Associated Press and Anthony IzaguirreAugust 4, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

How Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax exposed an epidemic of 'ghost cars' instead
Personal Finance
How Zohran Mamdani's pied-à-terre tax exposed an epidemic of 'ghost cars' instead
By Catherina GioinoAugust 4, 2026
17 hours ago
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
North America
Bars, bowling alleys, and movie theaters cost too much to run and visit. Americans have run out of places to hang out and we're paying with our health
By Catherina GioinoAugust 2, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio on the AI bubble nearing 1929, 2000 levels and the lesson people always forget: 'Wealth is not the same as money'
Investing
Ray Dalio on the AI bubble nearing 1929, 2000 levels and the lesson people always forget: 'Wealth is not the same as money'
By Nick LichtenbergAugust 4, 2026
17 hours ago
Wall Street bulls are starting to admit the earnings bubble is real—and the 60/40 portfolio may be the first casualty
Investing
Wall Street bulls are starting to admit the earnings bubble is real—and the 60/40 portfolio may be the first casualty
By Nick LichtenbergAugust 3, 2026
1 day ago
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
Magazine
Electric air taxis are finally ready for takeoff
By Alexei OreskovicAugust 3, 2026
2 days ago
The Iran war already has a winner: The world’s largest shipbroker notching record earnings from the 'exceptional volatility' in the Strait of Hormuz
Energy
The Iran war already has a winner: The world’s largest shipbroker notching record earnings from the 'exceptional volatility' in the Strait of Hormuz
By Sasha RogelbergAugust 3, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.