Former South Carolina Lawmaker and Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Secretly Settling Clients' Cases and Keeping the Money

Published Oct. 8, 2026. Case statuses are current as of that date.

People hire a personal injury lawyer at some of the worst moments of their lives. Federal prosecutors in South Carolina say one lawyer, who was also a state legislator, used that trust to settle clients' cases behind their backs and pocket the money.

On Oct. 7, 2026, Marvin Pendarvis, a former Democratic state representative from North Charleston and a suspended attorney, pleaded guilty in federal court in Charleston to nine of the 10 counts against him: four counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of money laundering [1][2].

"This is the lowest part in some people's lives and he used that to his advantage to move money around," U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling said, according to The Post and Courier [1].

Pendarvis has admitted guilt through his plea but has not yet been sentenced.

How the scheme worked

According to prosecutors and court documents described by local news outlets:

• Secret settlements. Pendarvis negotiated civil settlements on behalf of clients without their knowledge or approval and then received the payments [2][3].
• Forged signatures. He forged clients' signatures on settlement release forms and other settlement documents with insurance companies [1][2].
• Misreported amounts. He misled clients about how much money they were actually receiving [3].
• Money into the firm's account. Court documents accuse him of depositing at least $532,000 meant for clients into his firm's bank account and not paying the clients [1].

Prosecutors said there were 34 victims in total and that more than $800,000 was taken, though only four instances were identified in the plea agreement [2]. Stirling said the people exploited included a person whose wife had just died, a victim on a ventilator, and a child injured in an accident [1]. Reports give the time frame as January 2022 through April 2024 [1][3]; Live 5 reported it as running through November 2024 [2].

The first public sign of trouble came in an April 2024 civil lawsuit by a former client who accused Pendarvis of entering a secret settlement in a wrongful-arrest case by forging his signature, The Post and Courier reported. That lawsuit is still pending [1]. Pendarvis resigned from the S.C. House in September 2024, and IRS Criminal Investigation built the federal case, the paper said.

The person who pleaded guilty

Marvin Pendarvis of North Charleston (age not given in the reports we reviewed) was indicted in November 2025 on four counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and three money-laundering-related counts. He had pleaded not guilty and was scheduled for a jury trial on Oct. 26 before changing his plea under a plea agreement [2].

The wire fraud and money laundering counts each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison, and each aggravated identity theft count carries a mandatory minimum two years [2]. Live 5 reported that he partially waived his right to appeal his sentence. Pendarvis remains free on bond awaiting sentencing, which Stirling said could come in three to four months, and the case remains under investigation, WCBD reported [3]. The prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Sowards, declined to say what the government believes Pendarvis did with the money [1].

Red flags in a personal injury case

• You never see or sign the settlement agreement yourself, or you learn of a settlement only after the fact.
• Your lawyer won't give you the insurer's settlement letter or a written closing statement showing the gross amount, fees, costs, and your share.
• Long, unexplained delays between when the insurer says it paid and when you get money.
• Cash offers or pressure to keep quiet when you raise questions.
• Your lawyer is hard to reach once the case is supposedly "close to settling."

What to do if you suspect your lawyer

1. Call the insurance company directly and ask whether your claim has been settled, for how much, and to whom the check was issued.
2. Ask your lawyer in writing for the settlement agreement, the release you supposedly signed, and a full disbursement statement.
3. Contact your state's attorney discipline office (in South Carolina, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel). Many states also run client protection funds that can reimburse clients when a lawyer steals.
4. Report suspected theft to local police, the FBI at tips.fbi.gov, or your U.S. Attorney's Office.
5. Get a second lawyer's opinion about whether you have a claim to recover the money.

Case status (as of Oct. 8, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 8, 2026	Source
Marvin Pendarvis, North Charleston, SC	Federal, D.S.C. (Charleston)	Pleaded guilty Oct. 7, 2026, to 4 counts wire fraud, 3 counts aggravated identity theft, 2 counts money laundering; free on bond; sentencing date not yet set	[1], [2], [3]

Statuses can change.

Sources

1. Alan Hovorka, "Former SC lawmaker, attorney pleads guilty as federal prosecutors disclose client theft valued at $800K," The Post and Courier, Oct. 7, 2026. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/crime/pendarvis-fraud-client-theft-north-charleston-columbia-lawmaker/article_1e937de1-de1e-4d98-88c2-555277e4cffa.html
2. "'No one's above the law': Former SC lawmaker pleads guilty to 9 fraud charges," Live 5 News (WCSC), Oct. 7, 2026. https://www.live5news.com/2026/10/07/no-ones-above-law-former-sc-lawmaker-pleads-guilty-9-fraud-charges/
3. Hannah Baker, "Former lawmaker Marvin Pendarvis pleads guilty to fraud," WCBD News 2, Oct. 7, 2026. https://www.counton2.com/news/former-lawmaker-marvin-pendarvis-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/

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