Attorney reaches deal in long-running fraud suit against once-powerful litigator Scruggs

Settlement reached in fraud suit against Scruggs

JACKSON, Miss. — A settlement has been reached in a long-running fraud lawsuit filed against Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, the once powerful anti-tobacco litigator who is now behind bars.

William Roberts Wilson Jr. first sued Scruggs in 1994, accusing the Mississippi attorney of cheating him out of millions of dollars in fees from asbestos lawsuits the two worked on together. Wilson claimed Scruggs used the money to fund the landmark anti-tobacco litigation of the 1990s.

Charlie Merkel, an attorney who represented Wilson, says the settlement in the disputes was reached Thursday but he would not discuss details.

Gerald Jacks, an attorney representing Scruggs, did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment.