Alex Murdaugh hit with tax evasion charges as murder trial looms

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Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh, who allegedly murdered his wife and son, has now been charged with tax evasion.

The charges come down a month before he is set to go on trial for the shooting deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul at their family home.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced on Friday nine counts of tax evasion for failing to report $6,954,639 of illegally earned income between 2011 and 2019.

Mr Murdaugh, 54, made nearly $14m as a lawyer over nine years and allegedly stole around $7m from his law firm.

And he is accused of failing to pay the state $486,819 in taxes, and could face five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted.

Mr Murdaugh, a member of a powerful and high-profile family in the state, faces more than 100 charges.

Prosecutors allege that he fatally shot his 22-year-old son and 52-year-old wife on 7 June 2021 near the dog kennels at their estate.

In a motion filed earlier this month, prosecutors say that he carried out the killings over mounting debts and fear that his alleged corruption schemes would be uncovered.

His trial is slated to begin on 23 January and prosecutors say they will seek life imprisonment if he is convicted,

No date has been set for the alleged financial crimes and Mr Murdaugh, who has pleaded not guilty to the killings, is currently behind bars in Richland County on a $7m bond.