Attorneys for estate of former Murdaugh housekeeper say they’ve reached a settlement

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Attorneys Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter announced on Sunday a settlement has been reached between the Satterfield family and both the attorney and law firm who initially represented the family in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against former employer, Alex Murdaugh.

The Bland Richter Law Firm announced a settlement was reached on Friday between Attorney Cory Fleming, Fleming’s law firm Moss, Kuhn and Fleming and the firm’s insurance carrier. Satterfield’s estate filed a lawsuit against Fleming and his law firm over missing death settlement funds.

In a provided statement, Bland and Richter wrote; “Mr. Fleming and his firm agreed that the Estate will be paid back all legal fees and expenses Mr. Fleming and his law firm received from the $4,300,000 they recovered for the Estate in connection with the claims asserted against Alex Murdaugh for the death of Gloria Satterfied.

Gloria Satterfield, a long-time housekeeper for the Murdaugh family, died back in 2018 in what was described as a ‘trip and fall’ accident.

According to court documents filed by Bland and Richter, Alex Murdaugh recommended Satterfield’s two sons hire Fleming to seek money from Murdaugh as a result of Satterfield’s death.

SLED has since reopened an investigation into the death of Satterfield who died while working at the Murdaugh’s Hampton home.

Those same documents allege Murdaugh and Fleming failed to discuss a long standing relationship dating back to college roommates. Fleming was also Paul Murdaugh’s God Father.

Murdaugh and Fleming settled the lawsuit for a reported $4,300,000 to be paid to the Estate of Gloria Satterfield. Bland, now representing Satterfield’s estate claimed none of the promised settlement money had been paid out.

Bland and Richter later filed suit against Alex Murdaugh and Fleming over the failure to pay the settlement. Documents from the lawsuit allege Murdaugh set up a fake bank account called “Forge LLC” disguised to resemble that of a consulting firm known as Forge Consulting, LLC. Bland and Richter say Fleming wrote a check for the full amount to the bank account and dropped in a Hampton P.O. Box where Murdaugh would later pick it up and collect the money.

The statement regarding the settlement goes on to say Fleming and the law firm claim to be victims of Murdaugh’s insurance fraud scheme.

“Mr. Fleming stepped forward and did the right thing by the Estate. Mr. Fleming and his law firm maintain, they – like others – were victims of Alex Murdaugh’s fraudulent scheme,” wrote Bland and Richter. “A more comprehensive joint statement from Mr. Fleming, his firm, and the Satterfield Estate will be issued later this week.”

Fleming and his law firm were represented by the Pendarvis Law Office, P.C. out of Beaufort. A more detailed statement is expected from the two sides later in the week.