SC Grand Jury indicts Murdaugh, Smith for criminal conspiracy, narcotics

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - The state attorney general’s office announced new indictments against former Lowcountry attorney Alex Murdaugh and the man accused with him in an insurance fraud scheme.

Murdaugh, along with 62-year-old Curtis Edward Smith, was indicted on two conspiracy counts including a narcotics count related to Oxycodone.

Smith was also indicted on four counts of money laundering, three counts of forgery, trafficking methamphetamine 10-28 grams, one count of unlawful possession of a schedule II narcotic and possession of marijuana.

Smith was arrested Saturday in Colleton County.

A bond hearing was held for Smith in front of Judge Clifton Newman at the Richland County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon. Newman set Smith’s bond at a $250,000 surety bond.

Smith had not previously been indicted by the State Grand Jury, though he had previously been indicted by the Hampton County Grand Jury on charges related to the failed suicide-for-hire scheme over Labor Day weekend.

According to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, the criminal conspiracy charges allege 437 checks totaling approximately $2.4 million went from Murdaugh to Smith between 2013 and 2021. Murdaugh and Smith were also indicted in an alleged conspiracy to purchase and distribute Oxycodone.

Smith’s four counts of money laundering are in connection to the alleged disposition of the checks while the forgery charges allege Smith forged the endorsements on some of the checks.

The crimes charged in the indictments carry the following classifications and penalties:

Criminal Conspiracy is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a fine up to $5,000
Money Laundering – Value $100K or More, is a felony punishable by up to 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount at issue
Forgery, Value $10K or More, is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine in the discretion of the court
Forgery, Value $10K or Less, is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison or a fine in the discretion of the court
Manufacturing, Distribution, Possession of Narcotic – Schedule II, is a felony punishable up to 2 years in prison or a fine up to $500
Trafficking methamphetamine is a felony punishable by 3-10 years in prison and a fine up to $25,000
Possession of controlled substance – Schedule II, is a felony punishable by up to 6 months in prison and/or a fine up to $1000
Simple possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in prison or a fine between $100 and $200