Convicted Murderer Alex Murdaugh to Plead Guilty to Nearly Two Dozen Federal Financial Crimes

Convicted murderer Richard “Alex” Murdaugh is set to enter a guilty plea for nearly twenty federal charges related to financial crimes dating back over a decade, as indicated by court documents filed on Monday.

The disbarred attorney from South Carolina had already confessed to embezzling from his clients during his double murder trial, which culminated in his conviction for the murders of his wife and son in February. Following his conviction and the imposition of two consecutive life sentences, Murdaugh was indicted by a federal grand jury in May, facing a total of 22 counts, including money laundering, wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. The federal indictment alleges that Murdaugh engaged in multiple schemes to siphon millions of dollars from his clients while practicing as a personal injury attorney at his great-grandfather’s law firm.

While initially pleading not guilty to these federal charges, Alex Murdaugh is expected to appear at a plea hearing on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Charleston, where Federal Court Judge Richard Gergel is anticipated to approve the plea agreement filed on Monday.

Details of Alex Murdaugh’s Financial Crimes:

The federal indictment asserts that from at least September 2005 until at least September 2021, Murdaugh enriched himself personally by diverting and redirecting clients’ settlement funds through various means. This included intercepting insurance proceeds meant for beneficiaries and depositing them directly into his personal account, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

Another scheme spanning a decade allegedly saw Murdaugh instruct his banker, Russell Laffitte, to utilize settlement checks to pay off personal loans, cover personal expenses, and facilitate cash withdrawals. Russell Laffitte was convicted on six federal charges linked to this scheme and was sentenced to seven years in federal prison.

In a third scheme, it is alleged that Murdaugh advised the estate of his housekeeper, who had tragically passed away after falling in his home in 2018, to hire a personal injury attorney in Beaufort to file a claim against him. Subsequently, once Murdaugh’s insurance companies settled the estate’s claim, prosecutors contend that he instructed the Beaufort attorney to draft checks exceeding $3.4 million and deposit them into a bank account that he had purportedly created to resemble a legitimate company handling settlements. Murdaugh allegedly misappropriated these funds for his own personal gain, with the housekeeper’s estate receiving none of the money.

Potential Prison Time and Forfeiture:

The terms of the plea agreement necessitate that Murdaugh disclose and forfeit his assets, submit to polygraph exams if requested, and cooperate with authorities. Federal officials estimated that Murdaugh directly or indirectly obtained around $9 million from the crimes detailed in the indictment and are seeking the forfeiture of this amount in assets.

Furthermore, the plea agreement mandates that Murdaugh make restitution to each identifiable victim who may have suffered harm due to his scheme or pattern of criminal activity. His assets have already been frozen and placed under the control of court-appointed receivers, who have reported having located and liquidated approximately $2 million for the benefit of his alleged victims.

The federal charges against Alex Murdaugh carry potential maximum prison sentences of 20 or 30 years, along with substantial fines. Sentencing may not occur for several months, as indicated by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Limehouse.

Ongoing Legal Troubles:

In addition to these federal charges, Alex Murdaugh faces over 100 other charges related to financial and drug crimes, as disclosed by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. His next state trial is scheduled for the week of November 27 in Beaufort County. Additionally, he is confronting a dozen civil lawsuits seeking monetary damages.

The agreement stipulates that if Murdaugh complies with its terms, prosecutors will recommend that his federal sentence be served concurrently with any state sentence imposed for the same misconduct. Meanwhile, Murdaugh’s legal team has appealed his murder conviction and life sentences, also accusing an elected official involved in the trial of jury tampering. Under state law, if his state conviction is overturned, he may be required to serve his federal prison sentence before any state imprisonment.