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Alex Murdaugh blames opiate addiction for his financial crimes

Published

7 months ago

April 2, 2024

Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison after conviction in double murder trial during his sentencing at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro on Friday, March 3, 2023 after he was found guilty on all four counts. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool

With two state jail sentences already on his shoulders, confessed and convicted fraudster Alex Murdaugh walked right into a federal courthouse in Charleston Monday to obtain yet one more — a hefty federal jail sentence.

Disbarred Hampton, S.C., lawyer Richard Alexander “Alex” Murdaugh was sentenced to a complete of 480 months, or 40 years, in federal jail, in reference to a sweeping decade-plus, multi-million-dollar monetary fraud crime spree that engulfed greater than a rating of victims in a number of South Carolina Lowcountry counties.

Whereas Murdaugh will stay in state jail, this federal time period will run concurrently with Murdaugh’s state phrases. He’s at present serving a pair of life sentences for the June 2021 murders of his spouse and son, and 27 years for related S.C. State Grand Jury fraud expenses.

Murdaugh has additionally been ordered to pay a complete of $8,762,731.88 in restitution to a number of of his former legislation purchasers and his former legislation agency.

United States District Decide Richard M. Gergel imposed the sentence after a quick sentencing listening to at the USA District Courthouse on Assembly Avenue in Charleston.

Murdaugh, 55, pleaded responsible on Sept. 21, 2023, to 22 expenses together with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and financial institution fraud; financial institution fraud; wire fraud; and cash laundering. He additionally later pleaded responsible to related state expenses.

“Alex Murdaugh’s monetary crimes have been in depth, brazen, and callous,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional Adair F. Boroughs after Murdaugh signed the plea settlement final fall. “He stole indiscriminately from his purchasers, from his legislation agency, and from others who trusted him. The U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace, the FBI, and SLED dedicated to investigating and prosecuting Murdaugh’s monetary crimes once they first got here to mild. At this time marks our success of that promise.”

Decide Gergel used an “upward variance” in sentencing Murdaugh, which favored most sentences, partly as a deterrent for different white-collar criminals like corrupt attorneys.

Right here is how the sentencing breaks down:

360 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and financial institution fraud; financial institution fraud; and two counts of wire fraud affecting a monetary establishment, all to run concurrently.
240 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud, to run concurrently to one another and to the 360-month sentences.
120 months for 14 counts of cash laundering, to run concurrently to one another and consecutive to the 360- and 240-month sentences.

The courtroom additionally ordered Murdaugh to pay $8,762,731.88 in restitution to his victims and imposed a $10,034,377.95 forfeiture order for Murdaugh’s ill-gotten positive aspects.

Alex Murdaugh speaks of guilt and sorrow

In the course of the listening to, Murdaugh addressed the courtroom and his victims, saying that he was “stuffed with” guilt and sorrow for hurting individuals he liked, however appeared to proceed accountable his crimes on his reported opiate dependancy, which he mentioned contributed to his prison actions.

The drug dependancy declare was an excuse the choose and federal prosecutors rebutted. Decide Gergel mentioned that Murdaugh and his accomplices, which embrace one other former lawyer and a former banker, have been “seduced by the guarantees and supply of enormous quantities of cash.”

No “really addicted” individual might have pulled off such difficult schemes, Decide Gergel added.

Alex Murdaugh’s victims, attorneys converse out

Two of Murdaugh’s victims addressed the courtroom, and as they did in state sentencing hearings, referenced the grace of God and forgiveness.

“God can choose you,” mentioned Pamela Pinckney, mom of the late Hakeem Pinckney, a deaf paraplegic whose settlement cash was stolen. “I really like you with the love of Jesus Christ.”

“My coronary heart goes out to you and your loved ones, and I pray for you each day,” mentioned Tony Satterfield, the son of Murdaugh’s late housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, whose property was concerned in a Murdaugh scheme.

Whereas not one of the sufferer’s attorneys have been allowed to talk throughout the sentencing, which lasted roughly an hour, two of the sufferer’s attorneys issued statements afterward.

“There’s a staggering human toll for each cent he stole,” mentioned lawyer Justin Bamberg, who represents a number of victims. “That is the distinction when ‘white collar’ crime is dedicated by a lawyer towards his personal purchasers.”

“At this time was a banner day for Justice,” acknowledged lawyer Eric Bland. “Two and a half years in the past we requested the courtroom to verify when this all ended Alex Murdaugh obtained a full cup of justice. He obtained it. Federal Decide Richard Gergel took Alex Murdaugh to the proverbial wooden shed. He gave him an extra 1/3 extra jail time than what was requested by the federal prosecutors. He obtained a complete of 40 years and must serve 17 years above the 23 that he’ll serve in state jail. Now, even when the homicide conviction will get reversed, he’ll nonetheless spend the remainder of his life in both state or federal jail and by no means get a recent breath of air once more. Within the pantheon of profession criminals, he’s on Mount Rushmore. He’s a convicted double assassin, thief, financial institution fraud, and revenue tax evader.”

State, federal officers react to Alex Murdaugh’s federal sentence

The U.S. District Legal professional’s Workplace issued a press release Monday afternoon with feedback from state and federal officers.

“Murdaugh’s victims turned to him once they have been significantly susceptible, after struggling critical accidents and shedding family members,” mentioned Adair F. Boroughs, U.S. Legal professional for the District of South Carolina. “They put their belief in him as their lawyer, and he betrayed them. His crimes have been chilly, calculated, and brazen, and he earned daily of his 40-year sentence. We hope that it gives no less than some closure to his victims.”

“Justice was served at present and a sentence of this magnitude ought to warning anybody who engages in monetary crimes,” mentioned Steve Jensen, Particular Agent in Cost of the FBI Columbia Area Workplace. “The defendant’s actions undermine the integrity of our monetary techniques and trigger mistrust. Our message is obvious: We are going to maintain those that commit monetary fraud accountable, and they are going to be met with extreme penalties.”

“Legislation enforcement working collectively at each degree is significant to fixing crimes and holding offenders accountable,” mentioned Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina Legislation Enforcement Division. “I’ve at all times mentioned from day one in every of this case, and each case SLED investigates is about following the information irrespective of the place they could lead. At this time is one other step ahead for justice in South Carolina.”

Murdaugh’s accomplices in these federal schemes, former Beaufort lawyer Cory Fleming and former Hampton banker Russell Laffitte are at present serving federal jail sentences whereas going through extra state jail time.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the South Carolina Legislation Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse, Kathleen Stoughton, and Winston Holliday prosecuted the case.