In jail for all times, Murdaugh faces 2 extra tax evasion counts

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina grand jury Tuesday charged convicted assassin Alex Murdaugh with two counts of tax evasion after prosecutors reviewed his closing years of tax returns earlier than he headed behind bars.

The previous lawyer is at present serving a sentence of life in jail with out parole after a jury discovered him responsible in March of the taking pictures deaths of his spouse and youthful son in 2021.

From 2011 to 2021, Murdaugh made about $16 million as a lawyer, whereas stealing about $9 million from his legislation agency, settlement cash for shoppers and different locations, in line with indictments.

Murdaugh, 54, additionally faces about 100 different prices, together with tax evasion for his 2011 via 2019 returns in addition to prices he stole cash from shoppers, ran a drug and cash laundering ring and tried to defraud his life insurer into paying a $10 million coverage by having a good friend kill him.

The most recent indictments got here from Murdaugh’s 2020 and 2021 tax returns.

In 2020, Murdaugh didn’t pay greater than $67,000 he owed in taxes after making greater than $1.1 million from his legislation agency and a further $1.1 million via theft and cash laundering, prosecutors stated.

In 2021, Murdaugh ought to have paid $65,000 in taxes from $86,000 he earned from his legislation agency and simply over $1 million he made illegally, in line with the indictment.

Murdaugh’s spouse and son had been killed in June 2021 and he not often labored earlier than his bond on theft and insurance coverage fraud prices had been revoked 4 months later. He can be charged with homicide whereas in jail through the summer season of 2022.

Prosecutors argued Murdaugh’s swirling monetary issues led him to kill his 22-year-old son Paul with a shotgun after which his 52-year-old spouse Maggie with a rifle exterior the kennels at their Colleton County dwelling.

Alex Murdaugh then cleaned up the scene, went to go to his ailing mom to attempt to set up an alibi, then referred to as 911 and reported his spouse and son lifeless when he returned dwelling, prosecutors stated.

Murdaugh denied killing them when he took the stand in his homicide trial, however admitted it was his voice on a video taken by his son on the killings minutes earlier than information confirmed the victims stopped utilizing their cellphones perpetually. Murdaugh advised the preliminary investigators a number of occasions he was by no means on the kennels.

Murdaugh maintained his innocence as he was sentenced to life in jail with out parole and is interesting the convictions. He’s at present being held in protecting custody at an undisclosed most safety South Carolina jail.

State prosecutors additionally need to attempt him on all the opposite tax evasion, theft, insurance coverage fraud and different prices as quickly as they will, though no trial date for these instances has been set.