The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
South Carolina Attorney Alex Murdaugh turned himself in last Thursday after he allegedly misappropriated millions of dollars from his law firm.
53-year-old Alex Murdaugh resides in Hampton. He obtained a state bar license in 1994. Murdaugh is a partner at the law firm that his great-grandfather started in 1901.
In addition to practicing personal injury law, Murdaugh is a prosecutor for the 14th Judicial Court.
On June 7, Murdaugh’s wife and 22-year-old son were shot and killed at the family hunting lodge. Murdaugh has had a regular presence in the news because of the reported updates on the investigation into the alleged murders.
According to reports, Murdaugh has seriously struggled with the loss of his wife and son.
On September 4, Murdaugh called the authorities for emergency help. He said that someone had shot him in the head and left him on a roadside.
It was reported by his attorney that Murdaugh was injured, and the wound was not found to be self-inflicted.
Two days after he was shot, Murdaugh released an announcement stating that he was going to leave his job due to his health. He said that he needed to enroll in a rehabilitation center, and attributes much of his struggle to the recent loss of his loved ones.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) learned from his law firm that on September 3, Murdaugh was informed that they believed he had misappropriated money.
The exact amount in question was not disclosed, but it was reported that it was over $5 million.
The law firm additionally reported their suspicions to the South Carolina Bar Association, and on September 8, the South Carolina Supreme Court suspended Murdaugh’s license to practice law.
While the authorities investigated the details of Murdaugh’s shooting, they reported that they learned the man had a $10 million life insurance policy.
After looking into the situation further, it was purported that Murdaugh planned to have someone kill him so that his son would collect the life insurance money.
A warrant was issued for his arrest, and Murdaugh turned himself in on the morning of September 16.
Murdaugh was booked, and he is expected to face charges for insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report.
The man suspected of shooting Murdaugh is also facing many criminal charges. It is asserted that he is one of Murdaugh’s former clients.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.