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As we continue to navigate the accountability phase of the ‘Murdaugh Murders’ crime and corruption saga, the big news this past week was the sentencing of convicted fraudster Russell Laffitte.
Laffitte, 53, was a key cog in the financial schemes of convicted killer Alex Murdaugh – who has admitted to fleecing numerous of his former clients out of millions of dollars. Murdaugh then turned into a “family annihilator” when it all caught up with him, according to state prosecutors – murdering his wife and younger son two years ago on their family hunting property near Islandton, S.C.
He was convicted of those murders back in March and sentenced to two life sentences.
Laffitte, the former chief executive officer of Palmetto State Bank (PSB), profited from helping Murdaugh rip off multiple clients – then helped him cover his tracks via loans that never should have been issued and payouts that never should have been made. He got seven years for his crimes – a bit less time than we were expecting but certainly within the window of likely outcomes, as our Dylan Nolan explained in this edition of our Week In Review.
What’s left on the Murdaugh docket? In this week’s episode, our Jenn Wood provided an inventory on all the federal and state cases – both civil and criminal – as well as a recap of all the cases still under investigation which could yield additional charges.
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In other news, I updated our audience on the latest developments tied to the Green Pond Massacre – a gruesome mass stabbing/ arson incident that took place last month in Colleton County. Our Callie Lyons reported on a disturbing turn in this case earlier this week – the filing of additional murder and sex charges related to this horrific attack.
As our news outlet previously reported, the accused Green Pond killer – 34-year-old Ryan Lenard Manigo – had an extensive rap sheet in the S.C. fourteenth judicial circuit, one that should have landed him behind bars at the time this massacre took place. That rap sheet included arrests for kidnapping, armed robbery, burglary and criminal sexual conduct.
Why was he not in jail?
Talk about another glaring example of the Palmetto State’s chronic leniency toward violent criminals, right?
Finally, we sat down for a conversation with Candace Carroll – state director for Americans for Prosperity in South Carolina and a senior advisor to AFP Action, a national conservative grassroots organization. A veteran of our show, Carroll is one of those guests who can speak authoritatively on a wide range of subjects – providing unique insights and expert analysis.
We will be airing our entire conversation with her early next week – including a segment about the crisis at the U.S.-Mexican border – but we included a segment on this week’s episode about the 2024 presidential election.
Why is this so relevant? Earlier this week, Carroll’s group made a major play in multiple early-voting states (including South Carolina) – launching a new digital advertising push aimed at convincing GOP primary voters that former U.S. president Donald Trump is unelectable in a 2024 rematch against his successor, Joe Biden.
Thanks again to everyone for tuning in. Your support is what makes everything we do possible. If you want to help us keep holding those in power accountable – please subscribe to FITSNews.
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SHOW NOTES
LAFFITTE
Laffitte Gets Seven Years
Feds Issue Statement After Laffitte Conviction
MURDAUGHS
Attorneys Seek To Disavow Claim
GREEN POND
Additional Murder Charges, Sex Crimes Filed
JUSTICE REFORM
Another Lawyer-Legislator Scam
2024
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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