Stephen Goldfinch

Stephen Goldfinch, a South Carolina state lawmaker, faced federal legal scrutiny regarding his former company, Caledonia Consulting Inc. Between 2006 and 2008, the company harvested and sold stem cells that were later used in unapproved medical procedures by a third party. In November 2013, federal prosecutors filed a criminal information charging Goldfinch with a felony count related to misbranded drugs. Goldfinch maintained the illegal sales were conducted by an employee without his knowledge and accepted responsibility as the company owner. In December 2017, the case was dismissed after prosecutors stated the FDA had destroyed evidence and the government no longer wished to prosecute. In December 2013, Goldfinch was also named as a defendant in a federal civil lawsuit filed by a former business associate, William Kenon. The suit alleged that Goldfinch orchestrated a treasure-hunting scam and attempted to extort money from Kenon by invoking his influence as a state legislator. Additionally, critics and legislative watchdogs have raised concerns regarding a potential conflict of interest between Goldfinch’s legislative duties as a state senator and his private legal practice, where he has represented oceanfront property owners in disputes against state coastal protection agencies.