"The donations went from as local of an office as you can to the top of the ticket. When Laffitte was officially appointed to the role, Thomass 18th birthday was just two days away. jgrzeszczak@postandcourier.com, By Thad Moore and Jocelyn Grzeszczak One of them came in February 2021, when Murdaugh and his college friend Chris Wilson won a multimillion-dollar judgment for the family of a man who hit debris a truck dumped onto the interstate. Paul and Maggie were shot execution style in a premeditated very ugly scene, FITSNews reported. Police officially rule his death a hit-and-run but he had suffered blunt force trauma to the head. In 2019, his teenage son Paul had allegedly crashed the familys boat into a bridge near Parris Island, sending several of his friends into the water. He had loans for real estate ventures, a mortgage on his house, and credit cards and credit lines that covered his day-to-day spending and his recurring overdrafts. December 9, 2022 9:34pm. South Carolina legal scion Alex Murdaugh, who pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife and son, claims his cousin did the slayings, according to a new court filing. 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The two spoke on a Monday morning in August, and Malinowski pulled up Murdaughs account and saw something astonishing: He had an overdraft of more than $367,000. He alone was empowered to enforce the terms of the arrangement he made with himself. Yet Murdaughs need for cash hadn't relented. Danielle Wallace is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. This time, he decided to talk to Palmetto State Banks president, Jan Malinowski, a longtime banker whod married into the family. However, FITSNews reported, via law enforcement sources, that the Murdaughs died from multiple gunshot wounds.. (Russell Laffitte, his father and sister a majority on the committee had talked about approving it, but hadnt actually taken a vote.). Murdaugh's attorneys dismiss the state's theory as "illogical and implausible.". He bought clothes and groceries, paid credit cards and wrote a couple dozen checks. Murdaugh, in turn, landed the Badgers a big payout. Many years, hundreds of thousands of dollars immediately flowed back out to pay debts. Murdaugh, whose full name is R. Alexander. Charleston, SC 29403, News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com, Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com, var html = new Date().getFullYear(); Alex's son Paul, 22, (left) and wife Maggie, 52, (right) were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds on June 7 at the family hunting lodge, Alex's father Randolph Murdaugh III died 'peacefully' at home three days after Maggie and Paul were found shot dead, June 10, 2021: Alex's 81-year-old father Randolph Murdaugh III dies 'naturally' and 'peacefully' at home. The reason Smith failed the polygraph when asked if he murdered Maggie and Paul is because he in fact did commit these heinous crimes.. In a separate matter, he is charged with insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, and filing a false police report after allegedly plotting his own death so that his surviving son, 26-year-old Buster Murdaugh, could collect a $10 million life insurance policy. When the banks board met the next week, Norris Laffitte said he and Malinowski had questions about the $750,000 loan on the agenda. Heavy sent Alex Murdaugh an email through his law firm asking if he wanted to comment. Would love your thoughts, please comment. What followed was a repeat of what happened to Thomas and Pinckney: Badger and his wife were named on a series of checks, but relegated to the bottom corner. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Besides this, he has got indicted for the murder of his kid and wife. He put the money in Palmetto State Banks own account and made a series of transactions at Murdaughs request, even though it was unusual for someone to bring a check made out to the bank and ask for it to be divvied up. No autopsy was performed, and a coroner said her death was improperly described as 'natural' on her death certificate. The hearing was canceled, and Seckinger backed off. Badger liked Murdaugh. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But Alex Murdaugh is accused of drafting in a lawyer and banker pal to get his hands on that money instead. On the first Thursday of September 2021, a paralegal found a check Wilsons firm had written to him in March, proof hed been dishonest. Murdaughs main account had at least one overdraft in every quarter from the middle of 2012 until the murders. The boy named Stephen Smith and the housekeeper, and claimed Paul pushed Beach from the boat. Updated. Murdaugh and Laffitte were not exactly friends. Your email address will not be published. The Murdaugh family and PMPED wish to thank everyone for the many calls and condolences in the aftermath of the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. When they learned there was no record on the banks computer system, the board meeting, which had once felt like a family reunion, was overcome by disbelief and agitation. ", "Hundreds of thousands of dollars connected to Alex Murdaugh in political donations show that hes no different. He is charged with peddling drugs to Murdaugh, and helping him cash fraudulent checks. 2 Alex Murdaugh was arrested and charged for the murder of his wife and son Credit: SLED Who is Alex Murdaugh? Still, Smith does not have a clean record. The fees he earned as a custodian of Murdaughs clients money represented a quarter of his income in the early 2010s, he has said. Then he made a suggestion that struck Ronnie Crosby, one of the firm's partners, as odd: He offered that the bank could cover half of Badgers missing money. Since the spring, his law firms accounting office had been badgering him for information about a big payday hed recently won. Hannah and Alania were the only survivors. Satterfield, 57, had been the Murdaugh housekeeper and nanny for around 25 years when she suffered a fatal brain injury following a mystery fall inside the Murdaugh family home. Laffitte complied, even though Murdaughs checking account balance was overdrafted by more than $163,000 at the time. Though she was now 19 years old, Laffitte was still her conservator because of the bad paperwork. A federal grand jury indicted Russell Lafitte, the former Palmetto State Bank CEO, for allegedly conspiring with Murdaugh to steal $8.5 million from his client's settlements. The alleged Sept. 4 shooting happened days after Hampton-based law firm PMPED asked for Alex Murdaughs resignation, alleging he misappropriated at least $1 million in funds from the practice founded by his great-grandfather. It's just the tip of the tragedy in the Murdaugh family. According to WSAV-TV, depositions in that case alleged that Paul Murdaugh was drunk and belligerent, even acting like he was on drugs, and he refused peoples attempts to get him to stop driving the boat. Alex Murdaugh says he found the bodies. Finally, a judge was going to decide if hed have to open up his books. This time, the car barrel-rolled into the median. Once, Laffitte emailed Murdaugh that he was shuffling money to cover his loans: Just need to get them caught up before examiners come in, he wrote. This story is based on information unveiled at the federal trial of former Palmetto State Bank chief executive Russell Laffitte, at which 24 witnesses testified and more than 200 exhibits were admitted over three weeks. Eddie Smith continues to be a victim of Alex Murdaugh and his deeds, she said. In addition, he has contributed to and supported Senator Lindsey Graham. Alex Murdaugh is a South Carolina legal community member who donated $2800 to Biden's political campaign in April 2020 and has shown his involvement in both the Republican and Democratic parties. You work so hard for your family and our kids r so lucky! Barely an hour later, $400,000 was deposited into Murdaughs account the rest of the beach house loan. September 3, 2021: Alex resigns from his law firm amid claims he misused funds. The attorney has also expressed his affection for his family. The Murdaugh family was long entwined in public service and politics. Alex Murdaugh is a lawyer and the scion of a powerful, wealthy South Carolina legal family who found the bodies of his murdered son and wife. ', September 14, 2021: Police arrest alleged hitman in Alex's shooting. The father died just three days later, following a battle with cancer. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff. However, the lawyer refuted the claim, and Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin revealed on Thursday that he adores his family. Grace Beahm Alford gbeahm@postandcourier.com, How Alex Murdaugh's debt and apparent overspending ensnared Russell Laffitte, By Thad Moore and Jocelyn Grzeszczak; Banks dont get long before they have to write them off as losses. The bank, satisfied that hed keep finding a way to make good, kept processing his checks all the same. The medical records confirm Alex was shot twice and that he had to go to the hospital. He referred clients like Thomas for high-interest loans while their cases played out. Only three months after Murdaugh first borrowed from her account, he was using other clients money to repay her. Political Reporter For Dailymail.com, Published: 15:53 EST, 19 October 2021 | Updated: 16:32 EST, 19 October 2021. "I know Stephen. Bring it on. Court documents were released providing further clues into the timing of events and what happened the night Murdaugh's family was murdered. Money went to Murdaugh, his family and those hed borrowed money from, including Plyler. Alex Murdaugh was not called as a witness at Laffittes trial because he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Meanwhile, Smiths attorney Aimee Zmroczek said he has an ironclad alibi for the time of the killings. He also is accused of a badly executed scheme to kill Murdaugh so the lawyers surviving son could get his $10 million life insurance policy. Hannah climbed out to get help; pinned beneath their brothers body, Alania smelled pine trees and blood. 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