CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – An insurance company is taking action against Cory Fleming, alleging the disbarred attorney serving prison time owes the company money back for an insurance payment they believe was handled fraudulently.

Fleming is a known conspirator of Alex Murdaugh who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and other state and federal charges in the past for his role in schemes to steal and distribute money. But, the former lawyer maintains he doesn’t owe anything to the insurance company that paid out a policy claim for Murdaugh.

In 2018, the Murdaugh’s housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, suffered injuries on their property leading to her death. In the wake of her death, Murdaugh had her sons file an insurance claim against him with the intent of siphoning some of the settlement money for himself. Murdaugh employed Cory Fleming at his law firm at the time, Moss, Kuhn and Fleming for some of the legal work.

Other investigations and Murduagh’s own words on the stand at his murder trial show the payout never made it into the hands of the Satterfield sons. Instead, Murdaugh admits to taking it for himself, and Fleming has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving the Satterfields.

Nautilus Insurance argues that since they paid out $3.8 million dollars on that claim and it didn’t go where they thought it did, they have been injured. Nautilus is accusing Fleming of civil conspiracy, negligence, unfair trade practices, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract.

In his defense, Fleming’s lawyers say there were times and opportunities to investigate the claim, and Nautilus and its team never found proof it was a fake or false claim. Fleming’s main representation, Thomas Pendarvis, argues Nautilus insured the Murdaugh’s property and at the end of the day, an incident happened there that required a payout no matter what. Pendarvis goes on to say, that what becomes of the money once it leaves Nautilus and enters an escrow account, is none of their business.

In his opening, Pendarvis is quick to share Fleming’s criminal convictions, saying he has admitted to the wrongs he did to the Satterfield family. But, Pendarvis says the facts will show that Fleming does not owe anything to the insurance company that paid out a claim they deemed sound enough to settle.

Nautilus is also accusing Fleming’s law firm at the time, saying the entity is responsible for Fleming’s alleged bad actions. Moss Kuhn and Fleming at the time is now referred to as Moss & Kuhn in the case. Robert Hood is representing the law firm in the complaint and is set to defend his client by arguing immediately after Fleming’s lawyers at the trial.

Hood says the law firm was only ever responsible for Fleming’s actions “within the scope of their employment.” Out of the $3.8 million dollar settlement in the Satterfield claim, Fleming at the law office received $650,000 for his legal services. Despite that transaction, Hood argues that the other partners had no knowledge of Fleming’s role in nefariously distributing the payout and that those actions were not tied to his job at the firm. Hood says none of the money earned for work on the case benefitted the firm, only Fleming.

A jury of 10 will sit the trial which is expected to last less than a week.

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