Alex Murdaugh

A longtime friend of disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for scheming to steal millions of dollars in insurance settlements from the sons of his dead housekeeper.

The former CEO of a respected South Carolina bank will spend seven years in federal prison for helping Alex Murdaugh steal nearly $2 million from clients' legal settlements.

A wrongful death case that played a prominent role in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial has been settled for $15 million dollars.

Alex Murdaugh has been arraigned on federal money laundering and wire fraud charges for indictments saying he stole money from his clients. The convicted murderer already serving a life sentence in a South Carolina state prison for killing his wife and son pleaded not guilty for now. But one of his lawyers said that might change soon. The details of the 22 federal charges aren't new. State prosecutors have indicted Murdaugh on similar charges, saying he diverted money meant for clients and a wrongful death settlement for his family's longtime housekeeper who fell at Murdaugh's home to his own bank accounts.

A longtime friend of convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has admitted he helped his old college roommate steal more than $4 million meant for a wrongful death settlement after Murdaugh's housekeeper died in a fall. Cory Fleming pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in federal court. The 54-year-old lawyer faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when he is sentenced at a later date. After Murdaugh's maid, Gloria Satterfield, died following a fall at the family's home, Murdaugh convinced Satterfield's sons to hire Fleming as their lawyer, saying they could help get the family money for a wrongful death settlement. Fleming and Murdaugh then kept all the money for themselves.

Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh is facing federal charges for the first time after being indicted on 22 financial fraud charges over allegations the former attorney schemed to steal settlement money from clients. The indictments unsealed Wednesday don't appear to reveal any new allegations against Murdaugh, the former South Carolina legal scion who is serving a life sentence without parole for killing his wife and younger son. Murdaugh is also awaiting trial on around 100 other state charges including insurance fraud and tax evasion.

Alex Murdaugh may be serving a life sentence for killing his wife and son, but the legal system is far from done with him. As he sat in a South Carolina prison cell this week, Murdaugh's lawyers dealt with several problems. They told an insurer looking to force him to repay more than $3 million it awarded in a wrongful death settlement for Murdaugh housekeeper Gloria Satterfield that he lied about the circumstances of her death in a fall. His chief defenders in his murder case asked a judge to release an additional $160,000 from his retirement account to pay for his appeal. They say his six-week murder trial exhausted the $600,000 they have already been given.

A South Carolina grand jury Tuesday charged convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh with two counts of tax evasion after prosecutors reviewed his final years of tax returns before he headed behind bars.

A lawyer for the family of a teenager found dead nearly eight years ago says a second autopsy of the exhumed body is complete. Attorney Eric Bland, who is representing the family of Stephen Smith, says this weekend was a "bittersweet" and "trying time." Stephen Smith was found dead on a lonely highway in July 2015. Investigators initially thought it was a hit-and-run, but authorities say no skid marks or vehicle debris was found near his body. Bland's law firm announced Monday a $35,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of anyone responsible.

South Carolina prison officials have decided to keep former attorney and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh in a special protective unit as he begins serving his life sentence for killing his wife and son. The state Department of Corrections said in a news release Friday that mental health and prison experts determined that Murdaugh should be kept in protective custody after they reviewed his case, including the enormous amount of publicity it garnered and psychiatric and other tests. Prison officials said they weren't disclosing the unit's location due to security concerns.