Alex Murdaugh Facing Over 70 Financial Crimes Charges After Indictments Allege He Defrauded Victims Out Of Nearly $9 Million

Topline

Alex Murdaugh has been indicted on 27 new counts of fraud and computer charges, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said Friday, bringing a total of more than 70 charges against the disgraced South Carolina lawyer that allege he defrauded victims out of nearly $9 million.

In this Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021 file photo, Alex Murdaugh sits during his bond hearing, in … [+] Varnville, S.C. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)

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Key Facts

In a set of four indictments announced Friday, Murdaugh was accused of defrauding four victims out of $2.6 million in various schemes throughout the state of South Carolina between 2011 and 2017.

All four of the alleged victims were Murdaugh’s clients at the law firm where he worked, and he is accused of spending the victims’ compensation and trust checks for his own personal use, according to the indictments.

Murdaugh allegedly converted one victim’s $325,000 compensation check for an injury from a vehicle collision into money orders made to his own family members, according to the indictment.

In a different indictment involving the family of a victim who died in a vehicle collision, Murdaugh allegedly used a trust account check of over $300,000 to pay off personal business loans and to obtain cash for himself and a family member.

The four indictments revealed Friday add to several others issued in November and December, which all together bring 75 charges against Murdaugh, including counts of money laundering, forgery and computer crimes.

An attorney representing Murdaugh did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Forbes.

Big Number

$8,875,944. That’s how much money Murdaugh allegedly swindled from victims, according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.

Key Background

Murdaugh, 53, is facing a slew of charges stemming from an investigation which began when he was found on the side of the road in September with what police called a “superficial gunshot wound.” Days later, police issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, alleging he asked Curtis Edward Smith to kill him because wanted to give his surviving son, Buster, the insurance payout. The botched shooting came after the lawyer’s wife Margaret, and 22-year-old son, Paul, were found shot dead in June—murders that are still unsolved. The Supreme Court of South Carolina suspended Murdaugh’s law license in September, and he remains in jail in Columbia, South Carolina, CNN reports.

Tangent

Murdaugh is also facing fraud charges from his alleged role in diverting millions from his former housekeeper Gloria Satterfield’s wrongful death settlement. Satterfield fell at the Murdaugh residence in February 2018 and later died from her injuries. Her sons have claimed they didn’t know of the existence of the $4.3 million settlement until 2021 and they never received the money.

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