Russell Laffitte signs disbursement sheets at Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick and receives two checks: one for $309,581.46 from the Estate of Hakeem Pinckney and $325,000 from Natasha Thomas’ client trust account. The money was intended for their conservator accounts but was never deposited, according to indictments.
According to the July 20, 2022, federal indictment of Russell Laffitte, Laffitte “distributed the funds” at Murdaugh’s direction, as follows:
$10,000 deposit was made to Maggie Murdaugh’s account.
$9,500 money order.
$920.29 principal payment to a loan on Alex Murdaugh’s boat.
$3,137.30 interest payment to a loan on Alex Murdaugh’s boat.
$100,000 money order to Laffitte’s father, Charlie Laffitte, to “pay off a personal loan.
$50,135.61 money order to repay loans from the conservatorship account of Hannah Plyler.
$91,220.57 money order to repay loans from the conservatorship account of Hannah Plyler.
$329,500 money order to Murdaugh’s father, Randolph Murdaugh III
$40,167.69 money order to “repay loans Russell Lucius Laffitte extended as conservator for M.W.”
NOTE: “M.W.” refers to Malik Williams. Laffitte served as conservator to Williams, who was a client of Paul Detrick, a partner at Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick in a 2004 case. According to the indictment, Laffitte gave himself a loan from Malik’s account. The details of Malik’s case are not known. Laffitte was also the conservator to two young sisters, Hannah and Alania Plyler, whose mother and brother were killed in a 2005 crash on Interstate 95 in Hampton County. Both girls were injured in the crash. Murdaugh served as their attorney. Earlier this year, it became clear that Laffitte had secretly loaned himself and Murdaugh money at below-market interest rates from Hannah Plyler’s account, which he managed. According to the July 20, 2022, federal indictment, beginning on July 18, 2011, Laffitte took eight unsecured loans from Hannah’s account, totaling $355,000. Beginning Sept. 14, 2011, Laffitte allowed Murdaugh to take 14 unsecured loans from Hannah’s account, totaling $990,000.