SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #4

[CocoChanel]

Perhaps there was a reckoning after AM’s father died, and the firm was more willing to investigate his son after that. I imagine it might be sticky trying to uncover misdeeds of the founder’s son while he was still alive. Whatever time it took to reveal, it did not begin just this month. IMHO This is a Southern Gothic real-life family tragedy.

 

[MajorHoople]

Alex Murdaugh releases statement after Saturday shooting, says he will resign from law firm | WBTW

"Alex Murdaugh, who was found shot over the weekend, released a statement Monday saying he plans to resign from his law firm and seek rehab.

Murdaugh was airlifted to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah for treatment after authorities say he was found shot on the side of a road in Hampton County Saturday.

It came only a few months after he discovered his wife, Margaret, and son, Paul, had been shot to death at their family property in Colleton County. Details about Saturday’s shooting are still extremely limited. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating"

 

[DeDee]

I've never seen that until this case.

A Corp in TX offered a ten thousand dollar reward in the murder of Missy Bevers, inside a Church, with a deadline. They did not renew it.

 

[StrangerThanFiction]

Perhaps there was a reckoning after AM’s father died, and the firm was more willing to investigate his son after that. I imagine it might be sticky trying to uncover misdeeds of the founder’s son while he was still alive. Whatever time it took to reveal, it did not begin just this month. IMHO This is a Southern Gothic real-life family tragedy.

Isn’t there a second Murdaugh brother who is also part of the firm? Messy!

 

[shefner]

This case is HUGE. My goodness.

 

[BeckyF]

"was pushed out of his powerful law firm over claims that he had misused funds the day before he called 911"

"released from the hospital on Monday after his injury was determined to be not life-threatening and that he had immediately met with investigators from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which is investigating the double-killing and the shooting of Mr. Murdaugh."

"Leaders of the Hampton, S.C., firm said they had discovered that Mr. Murdaugh had misappropriated money from the law office and that he had resigned on Friday."

"In a statement to The New York Times, the firm said that it had hired a forensic accounting firm to investigate the suspected misappropriation of funds and that it had also notified the police and the South Carolina Bar."

"and that there was a slice in one of Mr. Murdaugh’s tires,"

"said the amount was in the millions."

Corruption all over the place. I have a feeling LE is in for a long ride.

 

[MemPat]

Lawyer Shot After Wife and Son Were Killed Had Been Pushed Out of Law Firm

The New York Times will get to the bottom of this!

 

[clearskies1]

A law firm would almost always have a provision under which a member/partner can be voted out.

 

[Luna20]

Three months is nothing in a case like this. If locals expected an arrest sooner, then they’ve probably been watching too much tv.

I get the feeling that we’re close to the end here though.

This is true, I guess for me though it’s been the combination of things. No follow up statement after the initial one, the brothers on GMA and the overall silence made it seem to be slow.

 

[momsof3]

So curious WHOSE money he embezzled... client's trust accounts? Funds due to some or all of the partners? Reserve accounts?

And how did this come to light? Was it detectable with the death of the patriarch and as administration of his estate began?

If he embezzled client trust funds - which was my first thought - there are likely angry and desperate folks out there. Those funds are often settlements for injuries which may have prevented someone from working, providing for their family. I can see someone who was unable to access what was rightfully theirs becoming increasingly angry and desperate. Add to that an “untouchability” that may have fueled a desperation that lead to violence against the mother and son (who may or may not have been the intended targets). And if in the millions it may have been more than one settlement that was embezzled. That is just MOO being in the legal field and seeing attorneys who raided trust funds. I’m buckling my seatbelt. I think it’s going to be quite a ride.

ETA - I think client trust fund may be the least “watched” vs firm fund which have oversight. They are basically savings accounts which are supposed to just sit there while a case winds to its conclusion so particularly vulnerable.

 

[Oakie]

Millions? Wow. Pushed out? Wow x2.

Hard to think of anything but gambling debts that would put him that far into the hole.

 

[Tiff23fr]

This thread is reaching capacity and will close in 5 minutes.

Please continue on Thread #5

 

[shefner]

NYT

Alex Murdaugh, a member of a powerful legal dynasty in South Carolina, was accused by his firm of misusing funds. A day later, Mr. Murdaugh reported that he had been shot on a rural road.

The law office did not say how much money was missing, but a member of the firm, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose company information, said the amount was in the millions.

Lawyer Shot After Wife and Son Were Killed Had Been Pushed Out of Law Firm

How can someone so wealthy run through millions in misappropriated funds? This must be bigger and deeper than we first thought......

 

[Oakie]

If he embezzled client trust funds - which was my first thought - there are likely angry and desperate folks out there.

When I lived in SC, there was a judge locally (not Hampton County) who died, and when the authorities began to unravel his financial accounts, they found he had embezzled substantial amounts of money from trust funds for which he was the executor. These were not awards from lawsuits, but trust funds set up to take care of minors, heirs, etc. It was a big scandal.

 

[Diddian]

If I had a law firm I would have CPA monitoring things....and bills paid would require two signatures and sent by and additional person.
But that's just me.

Most sizable firms have CPA's to ensure generally accepted accounting principles are followed to ensure accurate reporting and presentation of financial condition and to ensure internal controls are implemented to protect client and partnership funds. But, I would imagine in a multi-generational family law firm, non-family partners might permit slippage of internal controls in relation to accounts involving the patriarch and leave it to the partners who are family members to decide what to push and what to let slide.

 

[Tiff23fr]

Please continue on Thread #5