RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Russell Laffitte, the former CEO of Palmetto State Bank and Alex Murdaugh associate, is set to appear in a Richland County courtroom Thursday for a state court hearing.

Laffitte pled guilty to a slew of federal financial charges back in April of this year. He was previously found guilty by a jury in November 2022, but a court of appeals overturned his sentence in November 2024, prompting a brief new trial.

Laffitte aided former Hampton County lawyer and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh in his scheme to funnel millions of dollars won for his clients into his own accounts.

Attorneys representing Laffitte successfully appealed the case, and the ruling was overturned due to juror errors during the trial, which determined that Laffitte’s Fifth Amendment rights were violated.

However, in a hearing held in April of this year, Laffitte pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and three counts of misapplication of bank funds.

Thursday’s hearing will be held at the Richland County Courthouse at 2 pm.