Russell Laffitte, the former CEO of Palmetto State Bank, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for helping convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh steal nearly $2 million from clients' legal settlements. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel also ordered Laffitte to pay more than $3 million in restitution, marking the end of a long and complicated investigation into the Murdaugh family finances. The case has highlighted the need for increased oversight of financial institutions and the importance of holding those who break the law accountable.
Posts tagged as “Lowcountry”
Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murdering his wife and son in June 2021 after a jury deliberated for less than three hours. Evidence such as a Snapchat video placing Murdaugh near the scene of the crime and a kennel video of the son speaking from beyond the grave sealed his fate. Murdaugh faces life in prison without parole if convicted.
The Murdaugh family of South Carolina's Lowcountry has a long history of legal involvement, but in June 2021 the unsolved slayings of Margaret and Paul Murdaugh shattered the family's image. Alex Murdaugh, the father, has been charged with 99 financial crimes related to a scheme to bilk his law firm, clients, and the government out of $9.3 million, and has also been accused of hiring a man to kill him. The investigation into the deaths is ongoing and no suspects have been identified.