Millions missing from Alex Murdaugh’s firm, PMPED states 'no place for such behavior'
The prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, who said he was shot Saturday, just about three months after he discovered the bodies of his wife and son shot dead outside their home, said on Monday, September 6, 2021, that he planned to resign from his law firm and begin an unspecified rehabilitation treatment, according to reports.
However, the latest update reveals that millions of dollars are reportedly missing from the law firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick (PMPED). As per the latest report in FitsNews, as of Monday evening September 6, 2021, the firm’s website had been taken offline, saying "temperarily (sic) unavailable."
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On Monday afternoon, a spokesman for Murdaugh released a statement saying he was “resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle.” There was no explanation of what the "long battle" was. However, this announcement was made approximately one hour after the publication had exclusively reported that the 53-year-old attorney was "battling an opioid addiction and was 'said to be increasingly estranged from colleagues at his law firm'."
As per the publication, Murdaugh had reportedly been "less than forthcoming" with his law partners about several issues including the rumored opioid addiction.
Just hours later, The New York Times reported that Murdaugh "was pushed out of his powerful law firm over claims that he had misused funds." According to the report, PMPED lawyers "discovered that Murdaugh had misappropriated money from the law office and that he had resigned on Friday." According to FitsNews, "There are millions missing,” a source close to the firm told the publication.
A statement from PMPED provided to multiple media outlets early on Monday evening indicated the firm had hired forensic accountants to “conduct a thorough investigation” into the alleged theft. Additionally, the statement said that the incident had been reported to law enforcement as well as the S.C. Bar Association (SCBA). "This is disappointing news for all of us," the statement added. "Rest assured that our firm will deal with this in a straightforward manner. There’s no place in our firm for such behavior. Due to the ongoing investigations into these matters and client confidentiality, PMPED cannot comment further at this time. We encourage any client with questions to contact our offices regarding their file."
The law firm said it had told Murdaugh of the accusations on Friday, and that he and the firm agreed that he should resign. Murdaugh’s lawyer said his client had expressed his “regret and sorrow.”
Murdaugh’s lawyer, Jim Griffin, confirmed that Mr Murdaugh had left the firm after being accused of misusing funds.
As per the publication, sources close to the Murdaugh family, and those familiar with the status of several ongoing investigations involving the family, confirmed the missing money. Apparently, Alex is likely to face criminal charges in connection with the alleged theft.