SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #5

[NervousNellie]

Has it occurred to anyone else that the scenario in which this shooting happened is exactly like the scene in the last episode of Yellowstone, where patriarch Dutton is shot on a rural road by someone who drove by, turned around, asked if he needed help and opened fire? JMO

It had not occurred to me until you pointed it out... Interesting. (New season in November!)

 

[Luna20]

Wondering if AM could have been living a double life.

Jmo

No doubt! Could have been double plus some. I think we will see more evidence of the extent and nature.

 

[Luna20]

It makes sense to me that Maggie did this. AM and BM were being compelled to provide a full accounting of their finances as part of the Mallory Beach civil suit. Even if she did not suspect financial trouble at work or home (though my guess is she did), I think she would want to have a forensic accounting done before releasing that financial information in the lawsuit. I would also think she would seek financial advice about her options to protect herself financially. JMO.

ETA - AM certainly must have been feeling a lot of stress and pressure from all sides. MOO

This could explain why her biological family hasn’t given a formal and public statement. I’m sure they had some reservations based on what MM may have alluded to between them.

 

[Elley Mae]

Knew a guy that had a nice shack(his words) and kept a mistress in a town house paid for less then 3 miles away for a few years.

It can happen

 

[Terrib11]

I may be the odd woman out on this one, but I'm wondering if this wasn't a botched/chicken out suicide attempt.

 

[Luna20]

Nancy Grace is live now on cable news

 

[LotusPawprint]

This will no longer be made into a mini-series.

It will now require a full-fledged, multi - season production.


Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive

 

[clearskies1]

I may be the odd woman out on this one, but I'm wondering if this wasn't a botched/chicken out suicide attempt.

It would be an odd place to do it. Plus there's the flat tire. JMO.

 

[Luna20]

It would be an odd place to do it. Plus there's the flat tire. JMO.

Plus that car doesn’t have spare tires.

 

[Elley Mae]

https://www.islandpacket.com/latest...ternates/FREE_768/01MurdaughBondHearingDM.jpg


Hope this pic shows up, islandpacket.

The first time I saw this pic my eyes went straight to the cop sitting and looking at AM as he entered court room. Wonder if others here saw it, see it now and have thoughts on his facial expression.

 

[Oakie]

This will no longer be made into a mini-series.

It will now require a full-fledged, multi - season production.


Oh what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive

It should be titled, Pride Goeth Before a Fall.

 

[Luna20]

https://www.islandpacket.com/latest...ternates/FREE_768/01MurdaughBondHearingDM.jpg


Hope this pic shows up, islandpacket.

The first time I saw this pic my eyes went straight to the cop sitting and looking at AM as he entered court room. Wonder if others here saw it, see it now and have thoughts on his facial expression.

I thought the same. What was he visibly reacting to?

 

[Gardenista]

Missing Murdaugh law firm money raises questions: How much taken? How did it happen?

https://www.islandpacket.com/news/local/crime/article254046963.html

 

[Elley Mae]

MM ordered one before june 7th and now another one.?
Just my mind trying to justify stuff.

Wonder if MM did it in ref to the beach settlement and AM took out to lessen the pay out.

 

[Elley Mae]

I thought the same. What was he visibly reacting to?

His look to me is as if he & AM are not on the same page.

As if there is some animosity.

Bad blood.

Jmo

 

[Gardenista]

Nancy Grace is live now on cable news

Is this it?

https://twitter.com/AmericaRpts/status/1435310940883505158

 

[oviedo]

BREAKING: Maggie Murdaugh Ordered Forensic Accounting of Family Finances Before Her Murder
snipped
MM, the murdered wife of South Carolina legal scion AM, had ordered a forensic accounting of her own, in addition to the accounting done by AM’s law firm that resulted in his sudden resignation the day before he was supposedly shot in the head on a rural road.

Reporter Matt Harris, morning show host on WLNK and host of the podcast “The Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence,” made the stunning announcement on “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.”

“That is the word I got from a pretty reliable source,” Harris said. “MM hired a forensic accountant.”

 

[bestill]

BREAKING: Maggie Murdaugh Ordered Forensic Accounting of Family Finances Before Her Murder

Maggie Murdaugh, the murdered wife of South Carolina legal scion Alex Murdaugh, had ordered a forensic accounting of her own, in addition to the accounting done by Murdaugh’s law firm that resulted in his sudden resignation the day before he was supposedly shot in the head on a rural road.

Reporter Matt Harris, morning show host on WLNK and host of the podcast “The Murdaugh Family Murders: Impact of Influence,” made the stunning announcement on “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.”

“That is the word I got from a pretty reliable source,” Harris said. “Maggie hired a forensic accountant.”

When couples divorce often there is forensic audit to determine assets if they have complicated financials. So the question is did she order the audit on their personal accounts and the law firms? I think hers may be separate than the firms. I don't know if the law firm would open up their books to a partner's spouse, any thoughts on this?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/09/07/south-carolina-murdaugh-murders-resignation/


"Attorney Jim Griffin confirmed to The Post that Murdaugh had been accused of “diverting lawyer fees from the firm.”

Collecting fees on the side, interesting. Someone must have been doing the books and billing for this, jmo.

 

[Herat]

When this gets solved, I'm going to need John Grisham to explain this all to me.

I think this story is going to get more expansive, not less

 

[Rivkah11]

FWIW, I am a Certified Public Accountant and have taken dozens of continuing professional education courses on fraud as well as assisted on several engagements concerning fraud.

There are many ways to perpetrate fraud, so it is only pure speculation at this point as to how AM was able to embezzle millions of dollars from his firm. The exact method depends on what internal controls had to be circumvented (if any) in order to perpetrate the fraud and what role the family played in the internal accounting of the firm. I have seen firsthand cases where small practices entrust an owning member of their practice with accounting responsibilities, even though they have no accounting background, in order to avoid having to pay an outside accounting firm for accounting services other than payroll processing and annual tax return preparation.

If AM or another family member were in charge of the day-to-day accounting responsibilities with little to no oversight, it would be easy for him to circumvent controls and take millions over the course of months or years (most likely) without anyone being the wiser. Methods of fraud in these circumstance may include writing out checks to false vendors or straight to himself, if so bold; opening up a secret bank account in the firm’s name, directly depositing funds or transferring funds from the firm’s main business account to that account, and drawing on those funds for personal use; or misusing a firm-issued purchasing (or credit) card.

I really hope that the forensic accountants’ report will be made public so that we can eventually learn what happened, though I suspect that it will remain private. In many cases, fraud like this ends up being resolved outside of the criminal courts because small practices want to avoid the public scandal. Of course, this is already a public scandal, so…

All MOO.

Even without criminal charges being pressed by the firm, one can almost be certain the IRS is going to get theirs, which could include jail time should certain legal boundaries be crossed.