Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama proves to be a popular workplace for current and former employees who have been paying customers of notorious Ashley Madison Web site that promotes extramarital affairs

Here is a question to ponder: Since Ashley Madison (AM) data became public in summer 2015, what Alabama employer holds the distinction of having the most employees appear as paying customers at the extramarital-affairs Web site?

We are not aware of any technique for answering that question in an official, with-certitude fashion. But our research indicates the unofficial "leader in the clubhouse" for that honor is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL). Yes, that is the employment home of Mike McGarity, the notorious, criminally inclined neighbor who set our legal headaches in motion.

McGarity's name does not appear on the Alabama list for AM. But without really trying, we found at least five individuals who were BCBSAL employees at the time of the data breach. Given the painstaking process required to sort through the AM data and determine employers -- the actual number of Ashley Madison customers at BCBSAL probably is two or three times larger than our unofficial count -- that is a big number for any one workplace.

Ironically, several of the Ashley Madison customers have left BCBSAL for other opportunities over the past four years or so. Does that mean those who participate at extramarital-affairs Web sites are more likely than non-users to change employers frequently? That sounds like a good subject for a doctoral dissertation in psychology or management. For now, let's take a brief look at each of the current (or former) BCBSAL employees who appear as paying customers in the AM data:

(1) Wesley J. Hagood -- senior buyer in purchasing department. Lives in north Shelby County, and property records indicate he is married to Erica M. Hagood.

(2) W. Michael Jackman -- manager of IT Project Office. Lives on Harvest Ridge Lane in north Shelby County, and property records indicate he is married to Elizabeth Jackman.

(3) Cleo R. Truss -- was a senior application system analyst. LinkedIn page shows he left BCBSAL in July 2015 to focus full-time on his role as owner of Truss Management Group/ATG Services. Lives on Lake Crest Drive in Hoover, and property records indicate he is married to Jackie W. Truss.

(4) Brent Koch -- was a programmer/analyst. Left position in April 2015 to become senior programmer/analyst at CallidusCloud in Birmingham.

(5) Manan Modi -- was a staff auditor at Cahaba GBA, a wholly owned subsidiary of BCBSAL. Now is an auditor at National Government Services in Indianapolis.