In this heavily caffeinated edition of the FITSNews’ Week In Review, we dove right into recent bombshell developments in the ‘Murdaugh Murders’ crime and corruption saga.
For months, informed speculators – ourselves included – have posited how unlikely it is that a few ‘lone wolves’ could have successfully executed the complex financial crimes Alex Murdaugh, Cory Fleming, and Russell Laffitte stand accused of committing.
Are we to believe that a rouge banker hid hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraud over an extended period of time from the other members of the Palmetto State Bank board of directors?
Are we also to believe a rogue lawyer hid similarly serious crimes from all of his law partners?
Until this week, the answer to these questions were “yes” – at least officially. According to sources close to the federal prosecution of Laffitte, however, an audio recording referenced at secretive hearing held on Thursday afternoon could call this ‘lone wolf’ narrative into question – potentially broadening the scope of the investigation and expanding the list of alleged co-conspirators.
The Murdaugh saga has exposed the world to a side of the South Carolina justice – or injustice – system that many hadn’t seen before. Are the alleged crimes – which should have been detected and prosecuted years ago – indicative of systemic rot in the Palmetto State? Or are they merely evidence of a few bad apples?
Are they evidence of a corrupt dynasty built on decades of uncontested power in the state’s southeastern corner? Or just a rogue trio of reverse Robin Hoods stealing from the poor and giving to the rich?
These questions remain unanswered, prompting fierce debate between those who argue that the state’s judicial system is fundamentally flawed and those who believe it is fundamentally benevolent.
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FITSNews’ founding editor Will Folks had a spirited discussion on this very subject with attorney Alexandra Benevento of the Columbia, S.C.-based Strom Law firm.
Benevento – an accomplished attorney who currently dedicates much of her time to the click here.
To end the show, Will took a few swipes at Starbucks’ baristas who are battling on the frontlines of unionization efforts in the Palmetto State – learning (the hard way) about the inclusion of a secret ingredient in the mega-chain’s bean brew.
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SHOW NOTES
MURDAUGH MURDERS
‘Murdaugh Murders’ Saga: Russell Laffitte’s Recording Blows Federal Case Wide Open
‘Murdaugh Murders’ Saga: Charleston Feds Facing Scrutiny As Criminal Case Escalates
‘Murdaugh Murders’ Saga: Emergency Hearing Scheduled To Address ‘Critical Evidence’ In Russell Laffitte Case
JUDICIAL REFORM
South Carolina ‘Injustice’ System: A Conversation With Ally Benevento
STARBUCKS UNIONIZATION
Starbucks’ Baristas On The Front Lines Of South Carolina Union Battle
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
(Via: Travis Bell)
Dylan Nolan is the director of special projects at FITSNews. He graduated from the Darla Moore school of business in 2021 with an accounting degree. Got a tip or story idea for Dylan? Email him here. You can also engage him socially @DNolan2000.
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