Why wouldn't Edwards be able to afford a good attorney? He was a very successful crook. No doubt he has a lot of money stashed in many places around the world. As noted, he did own some assets, in the form of property, here in the States. Frizzell sued him, and the assets were turned over to CMKX.
Edwards isn't, and never was, "famous", except to the Xers. Unlike Casavant and Turino, he kept his head down. No one knew about the role he'd played in the CMKX and PCBM sagas until Pedro paid to get copies of Helen Bagley's transfer records.
Naturally, Bagley also knew Edwards; he'd loaned her money.