Alex Murdaugh expected to enter a guilty plea to federal financial crimes during Thursday hearing

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Disbarred attorney turned convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh will face a federal judge in a downtown Charleston courtroom again Thursday morning.

According to court documents, Murdaugh agreed to plead guilty to 22 federal charges. Those charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering.

Murdaugh will be required to surrender a minimum of $9 million as part of the agreement. That’s roughly the amount that he stole as a result of the crimes related to the federal charges. The trial for Murdaugh’s state charges is expected to begin November 27.

Ahead of Thursday’s plea, News 2 spoke to a partner at the Bland Richter Law Firm, Ronnie Richter, who represents the Satterfield family of the longtime housekeeper Murdaugh is accused of stealing money from.

“It’s encouraging but at the same time, it’s confusing because, at the same time that he’s going to plea guilty for having stolen that money from the Satterfield’s he’s appealing a denial in the circuit court of his effort to try to take back the confession of judgment that he gave the Satterfields for having stolen the same money. So again, everything in Murdaugh’s world is convoluted,” said Richter.

Richter told News 2 that while sentencing isn’t expected to be discussed during Thursday’s hearing, the date for that hearing could be.

A state trial for those alleged financial crimes was set for the Monday after Thanksgiving during a hearing held before Judge Clifton Newman last week.