Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges Wednesday as part of a more than $8 billion settlement with the Justice Department, AP reports.

Why it matters: "The settlement is the highest-profile display yet of the federal government seeking to hold a major drugmaker responsible for an opioid addiction and overdose crisis linked to more than 470,000 deaths in the country since 2000," AP notes.

Details: The company will plead guilty to charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and violating federal anti-kickback laws, Justice Department officials told the AP.

• The deal doesn't shield any of the company's owners or executives —  including members of the Sackler family — from criminal liability.

Go deeper:

• Purdue Pharma reaches tentative opioids settlement
• Purdue Pharma files for bankruptcy
• New court documents show former Purdue Pharma chief's role in marketing OxyContin