Alabama- Erotica legend Ryan Idol has been tangentially tied to a growing scandal involving a charity formed by Birmingham, Alabama mayor Larry Langford.

Federal prosecutors are scrutinizing the disbursement of $1 million in taxpayer funds by the charity Computer Help for Kids, formed in 2000, including “personal credit card bills, expenses for ‘elaborate’ trips and checks written to a star of gay-porn films,” identified in a newspaper report as Mr. Idol.

He was paid to repair computers and help set up computer programs, and has not been implicated in or accused of any wrongdoing. I contacted Mr. Idol through an intermediary, and he gave me this statement: “I’m aware of the situation in Alabama and I have nothing to worry about.”

Mayor Langford has proposed a new charity to the Birmingham City Council that would provide computers to local students. However, the HealthSouth Corp. has filed a civil lawsuit related to the first computer charity that questions how their own donations of money and equipment were used. John Katopodis, an aide to Mayor Langford and an organizer of the new charity, has been questioned in the civil lawsuit and that was how news of Mr. Idol’s involvement came to light.

Per a newspaper report, “Katopodis testified in his deposition that [Idol] was paid to help the Council of Cooperating Governments and the Computer Help for Kids programs, both of which were handling money and expenses for Langford’s computer initiative… ‘He’s a businessman and had been working as, had done several off-Broadway productions and had been writing a play,’ Katopodis testified. ‘I don’t know what else he was doing, you know.’ Donais received $5,000 from the computer charity and $25,000 from the council, according to court filings.”

Mr. Katopodis admitted under further questioning that Mr. Idol had no formal computer training, and explained that he ” ‘repaired computers. He, as I say, helped us, he traveled helping to try to set up computer programs in other areas among disadvantaged communities.’ ”

Although prosecutors have brought Mr. Idol’s former career to light during questioning, they have not accused him of any wrongdoing.

A second newspaper account reports on an email Mr. Katopodis sent to city officials dismissing allegations as “unfair attacks that will be answered in court.” In addressing Mr. Idol’s involvment, he wrote, “I do, however, feel compelled to address the most salacious allegation involving the employment of a ‘pornographic’ star. Although [Mr. Idol] did legitimate work for the charities, among other things maintaining our Web site, he was never paid with taxpayer funds.”