Buster Murdaugh’s net worth is not publicly known, but the evidence points to a modest figure, most likely under $1 million in 2026. You will see claims of $5 million or more online, often tied to a legal career and a landscaping business. Those claims do not hold up: Buster never qualified as a lawyer, and the family fortune that people assume he inherited was largely swallowed by his father’s crimes, lawsuits and creditors.
It is worth being clear from the start: Buster Murdaugh has never been charged with any crime. His story is about what happens to a son when a powerful family name collapses, and the money goes with it.
Buster Murdaugh Quick Facts
| Full name | Richard Alexander Murdaugh Jr. |
| Known as | Buster |
| Family | Eldest son of Alex and Maggie Murdaugh |
| From | Hampton County, South Carolina |
| Education | Wofford College; one year at the University of South Carolina School of Law |
| Married | Brooklynn White (2025) |
| Estimated net worth (2026) | Likely under $1 million |
Buster Murdaugh Net Worth Estimates Compared
| Source type | Figure | Our take |
|---|---|---|
| Many net worth sites | $5m or more | Mixes him up with his father’s career and the old family fortune |
| Copy-and-paste blogs (2026) | $1m to $5m | Recycled with no evidence |
| Almost Fearless estimate | Likely under $1m | No law career, the family assets seized or tied up, possible undisclosed settlement income |
Where the Murdaugh Money Came From
For nearly a century the Murdaugh name meant power in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, the region of marshes, live oaks and small towns between Charleston and Savannah. Buster’s great-great-grandfather founded a law firm in Hampton in 1910, and three generations of Murdaughs served as the area’s chief prosecutor. The firm, later known as PMPED, became one of the most successful personal injury practices in the state, the kind of law firm that wins large settlements against big companies.
His father Alex was a partner there. That is the source of the wealth people associate with Buster: the family home at Moselle, a hunting property in Colleton County, a beach house on Edisto Island, and the lifestyle that went with them.
Why Buster Did Not Inherit a Fortune
His father’s financial crimes
In 2021 Alex Murdaugh was forced out of the firm after it found he had stolen money from clients and partners. He later admitted to years of fraud, stealing millions from injured clients and from the family of the Murdaughs’ late housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield. He was sentenced to 27 years for state financial crimes and 40 years for federal ones, was disbarred, and had his assets seized and placed under receivers to repay victims.
The murders
In June 2021 Buster’s mother Maggie and younger brother Paul were killed at Moselle. In March 2023 a jury found Alex guilty of both murders, and he was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. The trial was one of the most watched in American history, and it played out like something out of a crime drama such as breaking bad, except that it was real and the losses were Buster’s own family.
The boat crash lawsuits
In 2019 a boat driven by Paul Murdaugh crashed near Beaufort, which led to the death of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old passenger. Buster was named in the lawsuit that followed because Paul had been using his ID. In January 2023 Buster settled with the Beach family and the other passengers. Any money from the family’s assets that might have passed to him had to compete with claims like these.
What Happened to Moselle and the Family Properties
The family’s 1,700-acre Moselle hunting estate in Colleton County, where Maggie and Paul died, was sold in 2023 for a reported $1.9 million. The land had been in Maggie’s name, and the sale came while the estate faced lawsuits and claims from the many people Alex had stolen from. The beach house on Edisto Island was also sold.
Property sales like these are often the clearest evidence of where a family’s wealth really ends up. In this case the money was needed to settle claims, cover legal costs and deal with a long line of creditors, rather than to set up the next generation. That is a big part of why the multi-million-dollar estimates for Buster look so unlikely.
What Buster Murdaugh Does Now
Buster studied Government and International Affairs at Wofford College, then started at the University of South Carolina School of Law. He was not readmitted after his first year because of his grades, so the family path into law ended with him. He has kept a low public profile since his father’s trial and married Brooklynn White in 2025. He has not shared details of his job or income, and we have chosen not to guess at them.
His Defamation Lawsuits
In 2024 Buster sued Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and other media companies, arguing that documentaries about his family falsely suggested he was involved in the 2015 death of Stephen Smith. He has always denied any involvement and has never been charged. In February 2026 he settled with Warner Bros. Discovery, Blackfin and Campfire, and the case was dismissed with prejudice. The terms were not disclosed, so we cannot say whether money changed hands.
Buster Murdaugh Timeline
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1910 | The Murdaugh family law firm is founded in Hampton |
| 2019 | Boat crash kills Mallory Beach |
| 2021 | Maggie and Paul Murdaugh killed in June; Alex forced out of the family law firm |
| 2022 | Alex charged with the murders and dozens of financial crimes |
| 2023 | Buster settles the boat crash lawsuit in January; Alex convicted in March |
| 2024 | Buster files defamation lawsuits |
| 2025 | Marries Brooklynn White |
| 2026 | Settles with Warner Bros. Discovery and others in February |
The Lowcountry Behind the Story
If you have travelled in coastal South Carolina, the setting of this story will feel familiar. Hampton and Colleton counties are quiet, rural places, an hour or so inland from the beaches of Hilton Head and Edisto and the historic streets of Charleston and Beaufort. Locals have long spoken of the Murdaughs as a dynasty, and the downfall has changed how many people there talk about power, money and the courts. The story has drawn true crime tourists to the area, something many residents would rather not have.
So, Is Buster Murdaugh Rich?
Not in the way his family name once suggested. The wealth his father appeared to have was partly built on stolen money, and what remained has been seized, sold or used to pay victims and lawsuits. Buster may have had some inheritance from his mother’s side, and possibly money from settling his defamation case, but nothing public points to a multi-million-dollar fortune. Our best estimate is a figure under $1 million, and we will update it if reliable information comes out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Buster Murdaugh’s net worth?
It is not publicly known. The evidence suggests it is most likely under $1 million, far below the $5 million figures on many sites.
Is Buster Murdaugh a lawyer?
No. He attended the University of South Carolina School of Law but was not readmitted after his first year.
Has Buster Murdaugh been charged with a crime?
No. He has never been charged with any crime.
Who is Buster Murdaugh married to?
Brooklynn White. They married in 2025.
Did Buster Murdaugh inherit his father’s money?
Very unlikely to any large degree. Alex Murdaugh’s assets were seized and placed with receivers to repay the victims of his financial crimes.
What happened with Buster Murdaugh’s defamation lawsuit?
He settled with Warner Bros. Discovery and other companies in February 2026. The terms were not disclosed.
