Walgreens Boots Alliance faces ruling denying whistleblower settlement claim

A federal judge denied a whistleblower’s request for a share of Walgreens’ multistate opioid settlement. The remaining claims must be pursued in the courts of the states involved.

A federal judge has denied a whistleblower’s request to receive a share of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s settlement with more than two dozen U.S. states over opioid-related claims, Reuters reported on September 29, 2026.

Claims directed to state courts

U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow in Chicago said the federal court lacked authority to order the individual states to allocate part of their settlements to pharmacist T.J. Novak. The judge said Novak would have to pursue the claims in the courts of the states involved.

The ruling stems from a case Novak filed in 2018. The U.S. government previously joined related litigation that resulted in a settlement with Walgreens, while Walgreens denied wrongdoing.