Birmingham Water Works Pension Loses Millions in Fraud Scheme

| March 16, 2017 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:306;s:4:"file";s:34:"2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:5:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-336x171.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:171;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:32:"Birmingham_Water_Works-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-470x240.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:240;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:34:"Birmingham_Water_Works-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:136468;s:14:"optimized_size";i:97280;s:7:"percent";d:28.719999999999999;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:62:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:70842;s:14:"optimized_size";i:47568;s:7:"percent";d:32.850000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:68:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3670;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3598;s:7:"percent";d:1.96;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:70:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:27242;s:14:"optimized_size";i:20300;s:7:"percent";d:25.48;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:70:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2017/02/Birmingham_Water_Works-470x240.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:34714;s:14:"optimized_size";i:25814;s:7:"percent";d:25.640000000000001;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => Birmingham Water Works Board
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1662366632 
1489657587

After all the criticism heaped on the Birmingham Water Works Board for shockingly high bills and questionable legal contracts, a new controversy emerged this week. The water works pension fund lost more than $4 million in what’s described as a “Ponzi-style” scheme. The scheme spans from New York financial types to an Indian tribe in South Dakota to the Cayman Islands. Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald has the details.

 

PBS cuts 15% of jobs in wake of federal funding cut

After Congress clawed back public media funding PBS cuts 15% of its staff. More than 100 jobs jobs are being lost.

President Trump plans to rename the Defense Department as the Department of War

The change would return the department to a name that it carried for much of its history, until it became the Department of Defense in the wake of World War II.

The U.S. is designating Ecuador’s largest gangs as terrorists

The U.S. is designating Ecuador's two largest gangs — Los Choneros and Los Lobos — as foreign terrorist organizations.

For mixed status families, deportation fears cast shadow over new academic year

As the new school year begins, mixed immigration status families face heightened fears about ICE enforcement near schools, creating anxiety that extends far beyond the classroom.

Senators from both parties grilled RFK Jr. on vaccines and more

In a blistering hearing, Senators from both parties challenged the health secretary to defend his actions, including on vaccines access and CDC leadership.

Why the medical community is thrilled by U.S. support for a ‘breakthrough’ HIV drug

Lenacapavir has the potential to end the HIV epidemic, researchers say. The Trump administration says backing this kind of effort will be a model for how it does global health work in the future.

More Front Page Coverage