Disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to 27 years in prison for a variety of white-collar crimes including embezzlement, forgery, tax evasion and more on Tuesday.
Murdaugh – already a convicted serial killer – pleaded guilty to several charges as part of a plea deal in Beaufort County Court in South Carolina.
He has been given the harshest criminal sentence the country has ever issued for a white-collar crime, according to The State.
The 101 counts filed against Murdaugh stem from him stealing millions of dollars from his clients, friends and family.
After hearing a victim impact statement, the judge signed off on the sentence, which was agreed to in a plea deal earlier this month in which Murdaugh pleaded guilty to 22 charges, with the expectation that he will serve 27 years.
As part of the plea agreement, Murdaugh agreed to waive his appeal rights. He is also eligible for parole after serving 85% of his sentence.
Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to 27 years in prison on Tuesday after hearing his victim give emotional evidence. AP
At the sentencing, Attorney General Creighton Waters estimated Murdaugh stole more than $12.4 million over a decade.
Murdaugh was only charged with $8 million in embezzlement and other charges, according to The State.
Waters goes through the stories of various victims, including Jordan Jinks, who lost about $150,000 through Murdaugh’s scheme.
Jinks was seen slumped in her seat with her head in her hands in the courtroom, according to The State.
Fourteen of his victims are expected to be in court Tuesday.
Tony Satterfield, whose late mother Gloria was the Killer’s maid, continued to call Murdaugh in court on Tuesday, telling him he forgave her for lying and stealing.
Murgaugh accepted a last-minute plea deal earlier this month, pleading guilty to 22 of the 101 pending charges. AP
“My heart is with you and my prayers are with you,” he told the disgraced attorney, whose lawyer admitted during his trial for killing his wife and son that he was addicted to drugs and spent up to $50,000 a week on opioids.
Despite Satterfield’s forgiving tone, the family’s attorney, Eric Bland, was not so kind, telling Murdaugh that he felt “good because [Murdaugh] will never breathe fresh air again.”
Sister Gloria also asked Murdaugh: “Have you no soul?”
Murdaugh apologized to his victims, telling them he did “a terrible thing,” but that he still “cares about each and every one of you.”
Tony Satterfield, whose late mother Gloria was the Killer’s maid, continued to call Murdaugh in court on Tuesday, telling him he forgave her for lying and stealing. AP
“I’m sorry,” he said.
The double murderer – who a jury ruled shot and killed wife Maggie and son Paul in 2021– looked stony-faced throughout the proceedings, only wearing reading glasses to look at documents from time to time.
Waters accused Murdaugh of using his “trust, power, and influence” to accomplish his scheme, which included lying to the grieving mother about getting a $30,000 settlement, when she actually received $183,000, and pocketing the rest.
Sister Gloria also asked Murdaugh: “Have you no soul?” Murdaugh apologized to his victims, telling them he did “a terrible thing,” but that he still “cares about each and every one of you.” AP
“That’s the only way this scheme can happen,” Waters told the court.
Earlier this year, the father of two was sentenced to two life sentences for killing loved ones.
Murdaugh maintained his innocence and said at his sentencing hearing that he “would never hurt my wife Maggie and I would never hurt my son Paw Paw.” His attorney is now trying to persuade the state to grant him a retrial.
Murdaugh has a surviving son, Buster, 26, who has appeared emotionless throughout his father’s various proceedings.
Buster was not in court today, but his father spoke to him when allowed to speak by the court.
“Buster, I’m sorry I let you down. I am very sorry that I could not be with you in such a difficult time,” he told his son, who was not in court today.
He tells Buster that “his whole family is proud of you,” including Maggie, “Paw Paw,” and himself.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
