HealthSouth lawsuit challenges Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford’s first computer charity- al.com
Now, this is a lede:
A charity Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford created more than seven years ago to give every child a computer faces scrutiny from a donor and federal prosecutors over its use of more than $1 million in taxpayer money, including payments on personal credit card bills, expenses for “elaborate” trips and checks written to a star of gay-porn films.
This is completely different from the charity BMLL has organized to give every child in Birmingham a laptop. Of course, the new charity is managed by the same guy (former Birmingham councilman and failed mayoral candidate John Katapotis, whose last name seems to be Greek for “bad leader”). But no problems there!
Documents filed in the Jefferson County lawsuit against Katopodis show nonprofit programs managing Langford’s first computer charity paid:
$30,000 to Marc Anthony Donais, also known as Ryan Idol, a star in gay adult films.
$28,000 in cash to Katopodis through checks and automatic teller withdrawals, including withdrawals at casinos.
$12,000 a year in rent for office space to a group run by Katopodis, even though Katopodis was not charged rent for the building.
As much as $10,000 to Langford, which he said went to a private charity he controlled.
Thousands of dollars to pay personal credit cards, phone bills and expenses, including Jim Burke Auto, Triumph Auto, Highlands restaurant, and airfare and hotels “to various places such as British Columbia” – all expenses that the lawsuit states “likely did not benefit” the computer charity.
I’m sure that trips to British Columbia were made entirely in the pursuit of getting laptops for kids. I am trying not to make a “laptop” joke about the gay porn thing.