Alabama Casino Said to Have Fixed Bingo to Pay Mayor
An Alabama politician has been accused of cheating at slots with the help of casino personnel. The charge reaches beyond the specific case to raise the issue of casinos which refuse payment based on machine malfunction.
Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford is alleged in a civil lawsuit to have benefited from bingo machines rigged to pay off at Victoryland Casino. Cynthia Teel has accused the casino of setting machines to pay out at specific times, and wants the money she was denied.
Teel won $42,000, but the casino said the machine was malfunctioning and refused to pay. She wants Langford to produce tax and gambling records to prove that the casino manipulates the machines.
Part of Teel's case is a sworn statement from a police officer who worked at Victoryland. He states he saw Langford escorted by casino staff at least three times to machines that promptly hit jackpots.
Langford denied the accusations, but admitted casino owner Milton McGregor is a close friend and political ally. He also said he had received a payout as large as $40,000.
Victoryland patron Rose Thompson said, "How come the machine is in error when it pays, but never when it takes? I think it's the casino's problem if they can't maintain working machines. Give the girl her money!"
