Alex Murdaugh’s former law firm filed a lawsuit against him on Wednesday, alleging the South Carolina attorney stole money from his firm and his clients before carrying out a botched suicide attempt.
The law office of Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth, Detrick (PMPED) began investigating Murdaugh for embezzlement after reportedly discovering a suspicious check on his desk in early September. The firm investigated prior cases Murdaugh was involved in, and they discovered multiple checks that sent settlement money to bank accounts named “Forge” or “Forge Consulting, LLC,” according to The Post and Courier.
PMPED has reportedly accused Murdaugh of draining its accounts, in addition to the accounts of his clients. The firm also said Murdaugh had written checks which sent money from PMPED accounts to the fraudulent Forge Consulting accounts. The firm reportedly contacted the Georgia-based company — which denied providing any services to Murdaugh’s clients in those cases.
According to The Post and Courier, Murdaugh’s firm reported the apparent theft to the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division on September 4. They contacted the South Carolina Supreme Court’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel two days later.
At some point, PMPED reportedly hired a forensic accountant to analyze Murdaugh’s financial transactions during his time at the law firm.
PMPED is seeking unspecified damages from Murdaugh. The firm said it reimbursed the clients who Murdaugh allegedly scammed.
On September 4, Murdaugh called 911 and said he had been shot in rural Hampton County. A day earlier, he quit the family law firm after he allegedly confessed to misappropriating funds. Two days after the shooting, Murdaugh said he was entering rehabilitation for drugs.
Murdaugh was arrested for insurance fraud on September 16, after police determined he had an ex-client, Curtis Edward Smith, 61, shoot him so his surviving son would receive a $10 million life insurance payout.
Murdaugh’s lawyer, Dick Harpootlian, has said his client became addicted to opioids after the murders of his wife and son, Maggie and Paul, 52 and 22, who were found fatally shot at the family’s hunting lodge in June. Harpootlian claimed Alex embezzled millions from his law firm to fund his pill addiction.
Alex, who is charged with fraud, is currently free on a $20,000 bond. No arrests have been made in connection with Maggie and Paul’s murders.
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[Featured image: Alex Murdaugh/Hampton County Jail ]
