HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh is facing a new round of indictments after prosecutors said he stole thousands from a law firm founded by his family.
The new indictments, from a State Grand Jury out of Hampton County, accuse Murdaugh of taking money from the Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltroz, and Detrick (PMPED) in 2018.
“It was common for certain partners … to loan money to the firm at the beginning of the year to cover operating expenses until sufficient fee revenue was generated,” the indictment read, clarifying that partners who elected to loan money were paid back with interest in the spring.
But they said Murdaugh was not a partner who was known to make these types of loans. However, PMPED’s accounting office “erroneously wrote out a repayment loan check to Murdaugh for $121,358.63 that should have gone to Murdaugh’s brother who did make the loan,” documents said.
Instead of correcting the issue, they said Murdaugh allegedly went to the accounting office and had them – under false – pretenses cut another check for the same amount and void the original with the internal accounting system.
They said Murdaugh deposited that check into his account and converted the funds for his personal use.
In all, Murdaugh was indicted for four counts of obtaining signature or property by false pretenses value $10,000 or more, two counts of money laundering value $20,000 – $100,000, one count of money laundering value $100,000 or more, and two counts of computer crime value more than $10,000.
The following information regarding the new indictments are shared as written from the SC Attorney Generals Office:
In Indictment 2022-GS-47-24, venued in Hampton County, the State Grand Jury charged Alex Murdaugh with two counts of Obtaining Signature or Property by False Pretenses, one count of Money Laundering, and one count of Computer Crime alleging that Murdaugh through false representations took a loan repayment from the firm that was due to another partner.
Altogether, through 18 indictments containing 90 charges against Murdaugh, the State Grand Jury has indicted Murdaugh for schemes to defraud victims of $8,789,447.77.
This State Grand Jury investigation is being conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office. The case will be prosecuted by The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.