555 Electronic Bingo Jackpots Won By Former Birmingham Mayor – Before He Was Convicted Of Bribery

The story of the former mayor of Birmingham, AL, Larry Langford, just got stranger. Sure, Langford had been charged with bribery. Sure, a federal jury decided Langford actually had taken bribes in exchange for getting bond business to an investment banker. And sure, on this past Friday, a judge sent Langford to prison for 15 years and fined him $360,000. But it also turns out that Langford has a friend who owns a bingo casino, at which

Langford won 555 jackpots – and pocketed $1.5 million. 

According to a news report on the case, casino owners contend that electronic bingo games cannot be rigged. Langford’s lawyer says he also lost more than he won. But still – 555 jackpots? Legitimately? Really?
 
The article, by Robbie Brown, is available at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/06/us/06birmingham.html?hp=&pagewanted=print.