Alex Murdaugh indicted on additional tax evasion charges

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Attorney General Alan Wilson on Tuesday announced additional charges against former Hampton County lawyer and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh.

A State Grand Jury indicted Murdaugh for two counts of tax evasion out of Colleton County. According to Wilson, Murdaugh failed to report $2,113,067 of “income earned through illegal acts” in 2020 and 2021.

The indictments allege that Murdaugh earned $1,147,342 of legitimate income through his employment at Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Elzroth, and Detrick (PMPED) law firm in 2020. He also received $1,112,734 “through an ongoing scheme to defraud PMPED and PMPED clients of legal settlement proceeds.” All of the funds were then converted to personal use. He “willfully did not file a tax return,” according to the indictment.

In 2021, Murdaugh earned $86,069 as an employee of PMPED. He made an additional $1,000,333 by defrauding PMPED and clients. The indictment said Murdaugh again failed to file a tax return in order to avoid paying income tax.

His failure to report the funds cost the state $132,572, Wilson said.

This is the second round of tax evasion charges for Murdaugh, who was previously indicted on multiple charges out of Hampton County for failing to report $6,954,639 of “income earned through illegal acts” between 2011 and 2019.

In total, Murdaugh failed to report nearly $10 million.

Murdaugh has also been indicted on numerous charges for defrauding former law clients and partners out of $8,789,447.

The State Grand Jury has issued 20 indictments total against Murdaugh containing 101 charges.

In March, Murdaugh was found guilty by a Colleton County jury of murdering his wife Margaret and youngest son, Paul. He was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.

Murdaugh could go to trial for the financial crimes as early as this summer.