Katopodis middle man in Langford car deal
A Navy lieutenant who had once been in a “paternal relationship” with John Katopodis testified Thursday that Katopodis once acted as a middleman in a deal to sell a $4,000 ‘65 Chevrolet Corvair to Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford.
Former Jefferson County Commissioner John Katopodis, left, leaving the federal courthouse Tuesday.
According to Jonathan Pohnel, Katopodis took the car. In exchange, Katopodis gave Pohnel a guitar from Langford that was supposed to be worth $4,000. However, when Pohnel had the guitar appraised, he found it was worth only $350.
Pohnel complained to Katopodis, who later gave him $4,000. Pohnel assumed the money came from Langford, but he learned later from federal investigators that the money actually came from Computer Help for Kids, a publicly funded charity Katopodis ran.
As a Jefferson County Commissioner, Langford arranged funding for the non-profit, which he co-founded with Katopodis and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy, now in prison on unrelated charges.
Pohnel also learned from federal investigators that Katopodis had paid for many things for him from the charity’s funds, including a rehearsal dinner before his wedding.
Earlier in the afternoon, Birmingham City Council President Carole Smitherman testified that Katopodis offered to pay her way on a women’s leadership conference in Cairo, Egypt. Smitherman said that Katopodis was pushy and that she was suspicious of his motives.
Katopodis repeatedly called her office, asking her to go on the trip, Smitherman testified. When she told Katopodis she wasn’t interested, he became angry and hung up on her, Smitherman said.
Testimony resumes Friday morning.
