While Jefferson County was paying more than $800,000 of taxpayers' money to the non-profit Computer Help for Kids, those funds were being withdrawn at casino ATMs and being used to pay personal credit card debts, an official from Regions bank testified in U.S. District Court Tuesday.
The sole person with signing authority on that account was John Katopodis, Regions Operations Manager Jeff Taylor said.
Katopodis faces 97 counts of wire fraud and mail fraud. Prosecutors have accused the former Jefferson County Commissioner, Katopodis, of spending Computer Help for Kids funds on himself and on his friends.
During much of the Tuesday morning testimony, Taylor and Assistant United States Attorney George Martin pored over bank statements from 2002 to 2007. Those bank statements from Computer Help for Kids' account and Katopodis' various personal accounts showed a steady flow of cash from the charity for purposes with no apparent connection to the charity's stated goals.
On a regular basis, charity funds were withdrawn from ATMs at the Harrah's casino on Canal Street in New Orleans and at the Silverstar casino in Philadelphia, Miss.
Meanwhile, Computer Help for Kids money was used to make payments on at least three of Katopodis' personal credit cards. Funds coming from the charity paid for trips to the Bahamas and Cairo, Egypt.
One check from Computer Help for Kids made out to "Hudson's" for $4,800 bore the notation "TV Langford."
Testimony resumes this afternoon.
Follow Birmingham Weekly's trial coverage on Twitter.
For Monday's coverage, click here.
The sole person with signing authority on that account was John Katopodis, Regions Operations Manager Jeff Taylor said.
Katopodis faces 97 counts of wire fraud and mail fraud. Prosecutors have accused the former Jefferson County Commissioner, Katopodis, of spending Computer Help for Kids funds on himself and on his friends.
During much of the Tuesday morning testimony, Taylor and Assistant United States Attorney George Martin pored over bank statements from 2002 to 2007. Those bank statements from Computer Help for Kids' account and Katopodis' various personal accounts showed a steady flow of cash from the charity for purposes with no apparent connection to the charity's stated goals.
On a regular basis, charity funds were withdrawn from ATMs at the Harrah's casino on Canal Street in New Orleans and at the Silverstar casino in Philadelphia, Miss.
Meanwhile, Computer Help for Kids money was used to make payments on at least three of Katopodis' personal credit cards. Funds coming from the charity paid for trips to the Bahamas and Cairo, Egypt.
One check from Computer Help for Kids made out to "Hudson's" for $4,800 bore the notation "TV Langford."
Testimony resumes this afternoon.
Follow Birmingham Weekly's trial coverage on Twitter.
For Monday's coverage, click here.
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