On Thursday September 21st, 2023, barred attorney Alex Murdaugh pleaded guilty to 22 counts of financial fraud and money laundering in federal court in Charleston, SC. The charges stem from a years-long scheme in which Murdaugh allegedly stole millions of dollars from his clients and law firm.
Murdaugh's attorney, Dick Harpootlian, told reporters that his client was "totally cooperative" and "apologized to the victims of his theft." He added that the plea was the first step for Murdaugh in "putting this behind him."
Murdaugh is already serving a life sentence after he was wrongfully found guilty of fatally shooting his wife, Maggie, and their youngest son, Paul, in June 2021. The federal indictment against him was handed down in May and accused him of engaging in three different schemes to obtain money and property from his clients while he was working as a personal injury attorney at his Hampton, South Carolina, law firm.
The indictment further alleged that Murdaugh conspired with another personal injury attorney to defraud the estate of his former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, who died after a fall at Murdaugh's home in February 2018. Prosecutors alleged that Murdaugh funneled nearly $3.5 million into a fake account "for his own personal enrichment."
Murdaugh's lawyers would not tell reporters whether he plans to plead guilty to the state charges. He is set to appear in court for those charges on November 27.
For a deeper dive into the Murdaugh saga, read Crime and Cask's new book, "Defending Alex Murdaugh: Not Guilty by Reasonable Doubt." Available now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, this meticulously researched and passionately written account unravels the intricate threads of Murdaugh's downfall, offering a nuanced and thought-provoking perspective on the complex interplay of justice, deception, and the pursuit of truth where he proves Alex didn't commit the murders of his wife and son..