April 15, 2025 • 5 mins
A former high-profile banker from South Carolina has confessed to aiding convicted murderer and fraudster Alex Murdaugh in siphoning millions from clients described by a federal judge as “vulnerable.“
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alart hourly update breaking crime news Now.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm Nico Parton.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
A former high profile banker from South Carolina has confessed
to aiding convicted murderer and fraudster Alec Murdog in siphoning
millions from clients described by a federal judge as quote vulnerable.
Russell Lafitte, x CEO of Palmetto State Bank in Hampton,
entered a guilty plea to six federal charges of bank
(00:26):
and wire fraud related to Murdog's extensive financial scheme that
defrauded clients out of significant amounts of money, as reported
in online court documents. In the plea agreement submitted to
federal prosecutors in South Carolina, Lafitte admitted to charges including
bank fraud, wirefraud, conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud,
(00:48):
and misappropriation of funds. According to WCSC, As part of
the plea deal, Lafitte faces a five year federal prison
sentence and is required to repay over three points point six.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Million dollars in restitution.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
This as noted by The Greenville News, he made these
admissions just weeks prior to his scheduled federal trial. Previously,
Lafitte was convicted on similar charges in twenty twenty two
and sentenced to seven years behind bars. However, that conviction
was later overturned by an appeals court, which determined that
Lafitte had been denied a fair trial when a judge
(01:25):
permitted the replacement of quote anxious jurors with alternates.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
As reported by The Post and Courier.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
During Lafitte's sentencing in twenty twenty three, US District Judge
Richard Gergel remarked that Lafitte was involved in an elaborate
criminal scheme. He likened Lafitte's treatment of those individuals to
that of a chess piece, manipulating their funds with disregard
for their suffering. In twenty twenty two, during a trial,
prosecutors detailed how Lafitte leveraged his position at the bank
(01:56):
to facilitate Murdoch's theft of millions from his clients.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
This reported by the state.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Murdog, who has since been disbarred, redirected settlements intended for
grieving families and survivors or personal injury cases to Lafitte,
who created bank accounts to merge these funds, which they
ultimately misappropriated. Two sisters testified about the mismanagement of a
million dollar settlement awarded to them after their mother died
(02:23):
in a car accident when they were just twelve and
eight years old. Evidence presented by an FBI accountant revealed
that Lafitte misused twenty thousand dollars from one of the
sisters accounts to build himself a swimming pool. In addition
to these charges, Lafitte, who acted as conservator for Murdog's
personal injury clients, is accused of granting himself three hundred
(02:45):
and fifty five thousand dollars in personal loans and providing
Murdog with ninety nine hundred thousand dollars in loans drawn
from clients' funds at his bank. This all, according to prosecutors.
Lafitte still faces state chell charges in South Carolina, with
a trial scheduled for October.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
More crime and justice news after this.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
How could a beautiful, young first grade teacher be stabbed
twenty times, including in the back, allegedly die of suicide? Yes,
that was the medical examiner's official ruling after a closed
door meeting. He first named it a homicide. Why what
happened to Ellen Greenberg? A huge American miscarriage of justice.
(03:34):
For an in depth look at the facts, see what
Happened to Ellen on Amazon. All proceeds to the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
A seventeen year old was injured in the leg during
a school shooting at a high school in Dallas today.
Emergency responders quickly aar arrived at the Wilmer Hutchins High School.
The male victim was taken to the hospital and is
currently in stable condition, although additional details have not yet
been disclosed. According to WFAA, Dallas Fire Rescue responded to
(04:15):
a call received at the school around one oh six pm.
By one for five pm, the situation had reportedly been contained,
but aeriel footage revealed a strong police presence at the scene.
Students were seen evacuating the campus and moving towards the
school stadium. Authorities are advising parents and the public to
steer clear of the area as the investigation is ongoing.
(04:39):
Carmelo Anthony, the seventeen year old charged with the fatal
stabbing of a fellow student at a high school track event,
was released from jail after his bill was significantly reduced.
He left the Collin County jail around four to twenty
pm and was placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
During a hearing at the County Courthouse in McKinney on Monday,
(05:01):
state District Judge Angela Tucker decreased Anthony's bill from one
million dollars to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Anthony
had been held on a murder charge since April two,
following his arrest for allegedly killing seventeen year old Austin
Metcalf during the District eleven to five a track meet
that was held at the stadium. Anthony has claimed he
(05:24):
acted in self defense and is innocent of the charges.
Nancy Grace and her team of experts break down this
case tonight on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on Doctor
Phiel's Merriage Street Media six nine and twelve pm Eastern,
or download Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite
podcasting app with this crime alert.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
I'm Nicole Parton
Crime Alart hourly update breaking crime news Now.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
I'm Nico Parton.
Speaker 3 (00:05):
A former high profile banker from South Carolina has confessed
to aiding convicted murderer and fraudster Alec Murdog in siphoning
millions from clients described by a federal judge as quote vulnerable.
Russell Lafitte, x CEO of Palmetto State Bank in Hampton,
entered a guilty plea to six federal charges of bank
(00:26):
and wire fraud related to Murdog's extensive financial scheme that
defrauded clients out of significant amounts of money, as reported
in online court documents. In the plea agreement submitted to
federal prosecutors in South Carolina, Lafitte admitted to charges including
bank fraud, wirefraud, conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud,
(00:48):
and misappropriation of funds. According to WCSC, As part of
the plea deal, Lafitte faces a five year federal prison
sentence and is required to repay over three points point six.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Million dollars in restitution.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
This as noted by The Greenville News, he made these
admissions just weeks prior to his scheduled federal trial. Previously,
Lafitte was convicted on similar charges in twenty twenty two
and sentenced to seven years behind bars. However, that conviction
was later overturned by an appeals court, which determined that
Lafitte had been denied a fair trial when a judge
(01:25):
permitted the replacement of quote anxious jurors with alternates.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
As reported by The Post and Courier.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
During Lafitte's sentencing in twenty twenty three, US District Judge
Richard Gergel remarked that Lafitte was involved in an elaborate
criminal scheme. He likened Lafitte's treatment of those individuals to
that of a chess piece, manipulating their funds with disregard
for their suffering. In twenty twenty two, during a trial,
prosecutors detailed how Lafitte leveraged his position at the bank
(01:56):
to facilitate Murdoch's theft of millions from his clients.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
This reported by the state.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Murdog, who has since been disbarred, redirected settlements intended for
grieving families and survivors or personal injury cases to Lafitte,
who created bank accounts to merge these funds, which they
ultimately misappropriated. Two sisters testified about the mismanagement of a
million dollar settlement awarded to them after their mother died
(02:23):
in a car accident when they were just twelve and
eight years old. Evidence presented by an FBI accountant revealed
that Lafitte misused twenty thousand dollars from one of the
sisters accounts to build himself a swimming pool. In addition
to these charges, Lafitte, who acted as conservator for Murdog's
personal injury clients, is accused of granting himself three hundred
(02:45):
and fifty five thousand dollars in personal loans and providing
Murdog with ninety nine hundred thousand dollars in loans drawn
from clients' funds at his bank. This all, according to prosecutors.
Lafitte still faces state chell charges in South Carolina, with
a trial scheduled for October.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
More crime and justice news after this.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
How could a beautiful, young first grade teacher be stabbed
twenty times, including in the back, allegedly die of suicide? Yes,
that was the medical examiner's official ruling after a closed
door meeting. He first named it a homicide. Why what
happened to Ellen Greenberg? A huge American miscarriage of justice.
(03:34):
For an in depth look at the facts, see what
Happened to Ellen on Amazon. All proceeds to the National
Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
A seventeen year old was injured in the leg during
a school shooting at a high school in Dallas today.
Emergency responders quickly aar arrived at the Wilmer Hutchins High School.
The male victim was taken to the hospital and is
currently in stable condition, although additional details have not yet
been disclosed. According to WFAA, Dallas Fire Rescue responded to
(04:15):
a call received at the school around one oh six pm.
By one for five pm, the situation had reportedly been contained,
but aeriel footage revealed a strong police presence at the scene.
Students were seen evacuating the campus and moving towards the
school stadium. Authorities are advising parents and the public to
steer clear of the area as the investigation is ongoing.
(04:39):
Carmelo Anthony, the seventeen year old charged with the fatal
stabbing of a fellow student at a high school track event,
was released from jail after his bill was significantly reduced.
He left the Collin County jail around four to twenty
pm and was placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor.
During a hearing at the County Courthouse in McKinney on Monday,
(05:01):
state District Judge Angela Tucker decreased Anthony's bill from one
million dollars to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Anthony
had been held on a murder charge since April two,
following his arrest for allegedly killing seventeen year old Austin
Metcalf during the District eleven to five a track meet
that was held at the stadium. Anthony has claimed he
(05:24):
acted in self defense and is innocent of the charges.
Nancy Grace and her team of experts break down this
case tonight on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on Doctor
Phiel's Merriage Street Media six nine and twelve pm Eastern,
or download Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on your favorite
podcasting app with this crime alert.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
I'm Nicole Parton
Host
Nancy Grace
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