• by Tanya Gazdik , March 18, 2011

Pharma company Bristol-Myers Squibb bribed thousands of California doctors and pharmacists to promote its drugs, state officials said.

Thousands of California doctors were bribed as the company dangled illegal kickbacks and L.A. Laker "happy hours," the Los Angeles Times reports.

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones announced March 18 that his office had joined a previously sealed whistleblower lawsuit against the company, calling it the largest health insurance fraud case ever pursued by a California state agency.

Two of the three whistleblowers in the case are former Lakers player Lucius Allen and his wife, Eve, who worked for the drug company as employees and provided access to the basketball team, whose players participated in "Lakers Dream Camps" set up by the drug company for doctors and their family members, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit was filed in 2007 but was sealed until the state joined the case recently.

New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb issued a statement: "Bristol-Myers Squibb believes this lawsuit has no merit and the company will defend itself vigorously."--Tanya Irwin