WCBD News 2

Alex Murdaugh may face even more lawsuits soon

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C (WSAV) – The list of those who are planning to sue Alex Murdaugh appears to be growing.

Attorney Justin Bamberg says he represents seven of Murdaugh’s victims and is about to file eight multi-million-dollar civil suits in Hampton County.

Bamberg told the Hampton County Guardian that he plans to sue not just Murdaugh, but his former law firm, the Parker Group (formerly PMPED), Palmetto State Bank and Russell Lafitte.

Lafitte was fired as the CEO of Palmetto State Bank last week.

Palmetto State Bank has permanently severed the employment of Russell Laffitte, effective immediately on January 7, 2022. The bank and its board of directors remain fully committed to their customers, employees, shareholders, and the communities Palmetto State Bank serves.

Palmetto State Bank

Lafitte was an executive allegedly overseeing the cases where Murdaugh took money from clients. He has been connected in legal filings to the investigation into those crimes.

As for the money involved in those alleged schemes, the co-receivers in the case filed court papers that say they have sent out 50 subpoenas to understand and find all of Murdaugh’s assets.

In Monday’s hearing about whether his bond should be reduced, prosecutors said Murdaugh has been talking in jailhouse phone calls about his money, some of which would come from his wife Maggie and his father Randolph’s estates. Prosecutors say the funds could be in the “tens of millions.”

In the calls, according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Murdaugh said he will pay family members back when he gets out. This comes even as his lawyers claim that because of the receivership set up while he is in prison, he has no ability to get or spend a dollar.

“This is not a man who is talking about his assets and believes he still has those assets at his control,” said Creighton Waters, prosecutor for the attorney general’s office.

Those co-receivers do have the ability to see any money Alex Murdaugh has and stop him from spending it before any decision in the eight civil cases against him is made.

Meanwhile, Judge Alison Lee is still debating Murdaugh’s request for a lower bond. She has not said when a decision will be made.