Devendra Kumar
Alex Murdaugh, a disbarred lawyer, has been ordered to spend 40 years in federal prison after being found guilty of stealing from clients and his law firm. The sentence, handed down by Judge Richard Gergel, is concurrent with Murdaugh’s life sentence without parole in state prison for the murder of his wife and son.
The 55-year-old’s crimes, which involved stealing from vulnerable individuals, including a client who became a quadriplegic after a car crash and a state trooper who was injured on the job, were described by the judge as difficult to fathom. Murdaugh’s schemes included collaborating with a lawyer friend to steal $4 million in a wrongful death settlement with the family of a woman who died in a fall at the family home.
Murdaugh’s crimes impacted over two dozen clients, with the lawyer taking settlement money from or inflating fees and expenses for them. During his apology, Murdaugh expressed guilt, sorrow, shame, embarrassment, and humiliation, attributing his actions to nearly two decades of addiction to opioids. However, Judge Gergel dismissed Murdaugh’s excuse, stating that no truly impaired individual could execute complex transactions like those undertaken by Murdaugh.
In addition to his prison sentence, Murdaugh will be required to pay nearly $9 million in compensation to his victims. Prosecutors are seeking a harsher sentence, believing Murdaugh has not told the whole truth about what happened to $6 million he stole, as well as whether an unidentified lawyer was involved in his criminal schemes.
The 22 federal counts to which Murdaugh pleaded guilty carry a minimum 20-year prison sentence, with some carrying a 30-year maximum. Murdaugh’s lawyers have argued that their client’s crimes were committed during a period of impaired judgment due to his addiction, but Judge Gergel rejected this argument, stating that it was a weak excuse.
Murdaugh’s sentence is likely to mean that he will have to serve the full 40 years if his murder convictions are overturned on appeal. The judge’s harsh punishment sends a strong message that stealing from vulnerable individuals will not be tolerated, even by someone who has already received a life sentence without parole. Murdaugh’s case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from addiction and the importance of seeking help before it is too late.