COLUMBIA, SC (WCBD) – A monetary firm utilized by Alex Murdaugh to allegedly steal tens of millions of {dollars} from shoppers stated they’re planning to take authorized motion towards the previous Hampton County lawyer for fraud and a nationwide banking establishment for Negligence.
Attorneys for Forge Consulting, LLC stated Monday disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh and Financial institution of America inflicted “critical hurt” on the corporate’s repute and credibility for his or her components in a scheme that used the “Forge” model to invoice tens of millions from shoppers and colleagues.
Courtroom paperwork, together with dozens of indictments from a State Grand Jury, present Murdaugh arrange faux financial institution accounts utilizing the Forge title to commit quite a few fraudulent transactions.
Among the many instances was a scheme to steal million from the household of his former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, by which Murdaugh stole a number of million from an insurance coverage settlement meant for the girl’s household.
Forge attorneys stated the choice was “key to his scheme’s success” since Forge Consulting was a well-established and revered firm that carried out monetary and fiduciary planning for attorneys and their shoppers.
“This is without doubt one of the worst instances of defamation and character assassination I’ve seen,” stated Pete Strom, a former US Legal professional and founding father of The Strom Legislation Agency representing Forge Consulting. “Forge Consulting did nothing improper. However their repute is beneath assault all as a result of Alex Murdaugh stole their title and Financial institution of America let him do it.”
Storm maintained that Murdaugh’s plan would have failed had Financial institution of America exercised due diligence and confirmed whether or not Murdaugh’s “Forge” was “who he pretended it was.”
“We’ve got been in enterprise since 2003 constructing our repute on professionalism, expertise and integrity and we refuse to let anybody steal that from us,” stated Forge Consulting CEO Spooner Phillips. “We offer belief and fiduciary providers and ‘belief’ is the important thing phrase.”
Legal professional Bakari Sellers, who can be representing Forge Consultants, stated all Financial institution of America needed to do was “make a cellphone name and that might have realized the reality.”
“That Negligence not solely contributed to this huge fraud, it allowed Forge Consulting to be painted with the Murdaugh brush,” he stated.