A federal South Carolina judge has sentenced Alex Murdaugh to an additional 40 years in prison after the former personal injury lawyer pleaded guilty to 22 federal financial crimes charges. U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel imposed a 480-month sentence and mandated restitution exceeding $9 million. Due to Murdaugh's inability to pay restitution, Gergel waived the fee and required him to pay a $2,000 special assessment immediately.
Murdaugh expressed remorse and guilt during the sentencing, acknowledging the sorrow he has caused to the victims. This sentencing comes as Murdaugh is already serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife and youngest son in 2021, which prosecutors linked to his financial crimes.
The financial crimes, including bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, involved schemes through which Murdaugh embezzled millions from his clients and the law firm where he was a partner. Federal prosecutors initially recommended a prison term of 17 to 22 years for these crimes.
In a recent development, prosecutors alleged that Murdaugh failed part of a polygraph test related to $6 million in stolen funds, violating his plea agreement. His defense attorneys are seeking to dismiss these allegations, citing irregularities in the polygraph examination.
In the state case, Murdaugh was accused of leveraging his power and family influence to win cases for clients, retain a portion of the earnings, and deceive those who trusted him. Despite facing approximately 100 financial crime charges totaling $10 million, the counts were reduced to 22 as part of plea deals.
Following his conviction for the murders, Murdaugh's legal team raised allegations of jury tampering against a court clerk, but a new murder trial was not granted. The former South Carolina lawyer's legal troubles continue to unfold as he faces the consequences of his actions.
