Larry Langford
| Larry Langford | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 30th Mayor of Birmingham, Alabama | |
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In office November 13, 2007 – October 28, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Bernard Kincaid |
| Succeeded by | Carole Smitherman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 17, 1948 Birmingham, Alabama |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Alabama at Birmingham |
Larry Paul Langford (born March 17, 1948) is the former mayor of the city of Birmingham, Alabama now serving a 15-year federal felony sentence. He previously served on the Jefferson County, Alabama, Commission, including four years as the first African-American commission president. He also served as mayor of Fairfield, Alabama, and served one term on the Birmingham City Council. Prior to entering politics, Langford was a well-known television personality, having worked for then-local ABC affiliate, WBRC TV as the community's first African-American TV news reporter. In 2010, Langford began serving a 15-year federal felony sentence, the result of a highly publicized public corruption trial in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Langford raised money and generated public interest and support for Visionland Theme Park (now known as Alabama Adventure Theme Park), located near Bessemer. The park was built largely by bond issues backed by a consortium of municipalities in the western part of the county, as well as the city of Birmingham and the county government. The park later declared bankruptcy, and was sold to Southland Entertainment Group for just over $5 million at auction.
In 2007, Langford was investigated by the SEC on corruption charges. In 2008, a lawsuit was filed against him for illegally accepting $156,000 in cash and benefits.
On December 1, 2008, Langford, along with investment banker William B. Blount and former state Democratic Chairman Al LaPierre, was arrested by the FBI on a 101-count indictment alleging conspiracy, bribery, fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns in connection with a long-running bribery scheme. His public corruption trial ended on October 28, 2009 with convictions on 60 counts, and resulted in his automatic removal from office.
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