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Birmingham mayor arrested

Larry Langford speaks at the mass rally for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference at Bethel Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, Feb. 15, 2008. (Tuscaloosa News / Dan Lopez)

Published: Monday, December 1, 2008 at 8:50 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, December 1, 2008 at 8:55 a.m.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) _ Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford has been charged with bribery, fraud and other federal charges in connection with multimillion-dollar sewer bond deals when he was president of the Jefferson County Commission.

Federal prosectors in Birmingham said Langford, Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre were charged in the 101-count indictment released Monday. The charges include moneylaundering and filing false tax returns.

Langford and LaPierre pleaded not guilty in a court appearance. They were released on $50,000 bond each. Blount was on his way to Birmingham to surrender.

Langford is accused of receiving $230,000 in a series of bribes from Blount, some of them routed through LaPierre, to influence the bond deals. Blount's firm made $7.1 million from the bond work.


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