Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh allegedly made a series of unsubstantiated — and contradictory — claims about a housekeeper who suffered a fatal fall on his property in 2018 to receive substantial insurance payouts.
FITS News, citing 911 calls and various documents, reported that at the time of Gloria Satterfield’s fall, Murdaugh had an umbrella insurance policy with Nautilus for $5 million and an “underlying insurance” policy with Lloyds of London for $505,000. Murdaugh was allegedly the only person to claim that Satterfield tripped on his dogs and that she was not working at the time.
The news outlet reported that it was crucial that Murdaugh prove the deadly February 2018 incident was his fault, as if it was determined Satterfield’s accident was due to clumsiness or a prior car accident Nautilus would not pay for the policy. Satterfield was reportedly in a car crash a day before she fell on the Murdaughs’ property.
“Murdaugh claimed Ms. Satterfield was at his property, not to perform work for Murdaugh and his family, but to collect a check for work performed for someone else, thus avoiding a worker’s compensation defense,” a lawsuit filed by Nautilus alleged.
In October, Murdaugh was arrested for allegedly stealing $4.3 million from Satterfield’s estate which was intended for her family. His arrest came as he left a rehabilitation center in Florida — where he underwent treatment after he was arrested in September for a botched suicide-for-hire plot that entailed an ex-client, Curtis Smith, 61, fatally shooting him so Murdaugh’s surviving son would receive a $10 million life insurance payout.
According to FITS News, Lloyds of London attorney Scott Wallinger wrote that no one witnessed Satterfield’s fall, but Alex’s wife Maggie went outside hearing a commotion. Maggie also claimed that of their four dogs, their 1.5-year-old Labrador Retriever would often get excited and seek attention, potentially blaming that canine for Satterfield’s fall.
However, Alex was allegedly the only person to directly state that Satterfield fell on his dogs, even though he was not there at the time.
The news outlet noted that it remains unknown when Alex allegedly planned to defraud the insurance companies.
On June 7, Maggie and Paul, 22, were found fatally shot at the lodge. No arrests have been made in connection with their slayings. At the time of his death, Paul was awaiting trial on boating under the influence charges for a February 2019 crash that killed Mallory Beach, 19.
Months after their murders, Alex allegedly carried out the suicide-for-hire plot that left him shot in the head. A day before the shooting, Alex was forced out of his family law firm amid allegations he misappropriated funds. He was arrested for reportedly swindling Satterfield’s family in October.
Currently, Alex currently faces a total of 74 charges, as he has been accused of stealing money from a slew of clients and his former law firm. He has not been charged in connection with his wife and son’s murder.
Alex remains jailed on a $7 million bond.
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[Featured image: Gloria Satterfield/handout; Alex Murdaugh/Facebook]
