CHARLESTON, S.C. (CN) — A co-defendant of disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh faces new charges of embezzling public money and identity fraud, according to jail records.
Jerry Rivers was quietly booked Jan. 17 into the Richland County jail on the eve of his alleged co-conspirator’s double murder trial for the slayings of his wife and son.
Rivers, 40, was being jailed on an 11-count indictment, the jail's website shows. He faces two counts of obtaining property under false pretenses, three counts of insurance fraud, five counts of embezzling public funds and identity theft.
It was not clear if a detention hearing has already been held for Rivers. His defense attorney, Rose Mary Parham, did not respond to requests for comment. Robert Kittle, a spokesman for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, said his office would not comment on the active investigation.
Rivers was previously arrested on allegations he obstructed state authorities as they pursued Murdaugh’s money trail.
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Waters said Rivers and Roberts were “downstream” beneficiaries of more than $8 million dollars
Murdaugh admitted to stealing from former clients of his family’s law firm before the murders on June 7, 2021, at the family's hunting estate.
In 2021 alone, Murdaugh wrote almost $90,000 in checks to Rivers, the prosecutor said.
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