Wade on Birmingham

Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks: Virginia Hill

By

In August, we’re celebrating Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks, whether they be liars, thieves, extortionists, swindlers or thugs. Running daily until Birmingham mayor Larry Langford’s Aug. 31 federal trial. Thanks to Bhamwiki for helping with this project.

Virginia Hill

Virginia HillPositions held: Lipscomb native; waitress; alleged bookmaker, prostitute and blackmailer; Mafia “bag woman”

Wanted for: involvement in organized crime, tax fraud

Date of conviction: never convicted, though she testified before the Senate and later moved to Europe after the Internal Revenue Service sued her for back taxes. When asked by the Senate committee on organized crime why a mobster would give Hill so much money, she replied, “Because I’m the best —-sucker in town.”

Sentence: n/a

Criminally fun fact: Hill was one of 10 siblings. She was rumored to have secretly married gangster Bugsy Siegel. Two actresses have portrayed Hill: Dyan Cannon in a TV movie and Annette Bening in “Bugsy.” Her overdose on sleeping pills appeared to be an apparent suicide, but could have also been a Mafia hit.

• • •

Additional reading:

• • •

Want more Wade on Birmingham? Subscribe to our free newsletter!

Leave a Yip

Subscribe without commenting