LOR - Alumni Benefit?

[cbsag123]

This is probably purely speculative, but do you guys think that admissions committees give special consideration to a LOR written by a (recent or not so recent) graduate of their program? What about faculty who previously taught at the institution? 

[smug-face]

If I had to guess, letters from known names probably carry relatively more weight, and letters from people that are familiar with the program even more so. But I don't think that that itself will be a determining factor.