Murdaugh associate Russell Laffitte pleads guilty to various charges

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — After a court of appeals overturned his sentence and conviction, former banker and Alex Murdaugh accomplice Russell Laffitte has agreed to plead guilty to a slew of financial charges.

Court records state that Laffitte pleaded guilty to six charges in U.S. District Court: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, and three counts of misapplication of bank funds.

If he complies with all the agreement terms, Laffitte is ordered to serve 60 months in prison, and the government agrees not to file additional charges connected to the indictment against him.

By entering the plea, Laffitte agreed to pay $3,555,884.80 in criminal restitution and can not participate in affairs with any federal bank or credit union.

Laffitte was sentenced in 2023, nearly seven months after he was found guilty of helping convicted murderer and ex-attorney Alex Murdaugh steal from clients.

At the time, he served as the CEO of Palmetto State Bank and allegedly used his position to carry out the crimes. Laffitte was fired from the role in early 2022.

A court of appeals overturned his sentence in November 2024.

A judge vacated the sentence and sent the case to U.S. District Court for further proceedings. Documents show the decision was based on what the ruling described as juror errors during the original trial that violated Laffitte’s Fifth Amendment rights.

Before the vacate, he was initially sentenced to seven years in federal prison and ordered to pay the same amount in restitution.