Addiction Led to Criminal Behavior 

Lu Hardin is best known these days as the criminal that used to be the president of the University of Central Arkansas. Seemingly having it all, there were many that were shocked to find out that Hardin was actually a slot machine addict who had used funds that he obtained illegally to play the games. Hardin had plead guilty to two felonies that lead to his taking a $300,000 bonus through deception as he needed the money for his slot machine addiction. He is now asking the judge to please keep him out of jail for the offence. 

He has sent a letter to the judge detailing that it was the addiction to slot machines that made him act the way that he did and that he has long been a pillar in the community. He asked the judge to take into consideration all of his charitable work and contributions that he has done over the years and that jail would not help him and could hurt him instead. Instead he is asking for probation, especially since he said that he was able to pay back the money almost immediately.  

Hardin’s friends say that he was an outstanding and upstanding member of the community before he became addicted to slot machines. They say that he has been attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings for the past year when he realized that he was addicted to slot machines. However, the courts say that there is no proof that when he resigned that he stopped his gambling and that is going to work to his detriment.