Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks: Bill Blount
By Wade KwonIn 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.
Bill Blount
Positions held: Montgomery investment banker, handled Jefferson County’s bond swap deals
Wanted for: bribery and conspiracy, indicted with Al LaPierre and Langford
Date of conviction: today, admitting to bribing county commissioners Langford and Mary Buckelew.
Sentence: Sentencing date to be determined. Blount faces up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy and 5 years in prison for bribery (prosecutors wil ask for 52 months), plus up to $500,000 in fines. Plea agreement says he will forfeit $1 million. Blount is expected to testify in Langford’s trial.
Criminally fun fact: The government says Blount paid for several of Langford’s expensive purchases, including $11,750.40 at Bromberg’s Fine Jewelers and nearly $30,000 in 4 years at Remon’s Clothier.
According to the Press-Register (Mobile), Blount has had a tangled history of bond financing deals gone sour, from two 1995 deals for the City of Mobile that warranted investigation by the FBI and the IRS, and a state warehouse construction project from 2001 pushed by political pal and then Gov. Don Siegelman.
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Additional reading:
- Bhamwiki: William Blount
- Crime Watch
- Meet more of Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks | RSS feed
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 10:30 pm
Oooh, very timely!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 10:54 pm
It helps when they give you a day’s notice with a plea agreement hearing.