Announcement

**Kelly d** · 23 July 2010, 15:24

Re: Conrad Black

From the BBC today:

23 July 2010 Last updated at 20:10 Share this pageFacebookTwitter ShareEmail Print Conrad Black must stay in US until next court hearing
Conrad Black leaves court in Chicago
Canadian-born media baron Conrad Black must stay in the US at least until his next court hearing on 16 August.

Judge Amy St Eve, in Chicago, said she needed more information on Black's financial situation before she could rule on the issue.

Black, a British peer, was released from a Florida prison on Wednesday after serving more than two years.

He was freed on a $2m (�1.3m) bond pending an appeal against a conviction for fraud and obstructing justice.

__________________________________________________ ________________________

From the Daily Mail

Judge orders Conrad Black to surrender passport after release from prisonBy Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:27 PM on 23rd July 2010
Comments (0) Add to My Stories
A federal judge ordered Conrad Black to surrender his passport today, barring the former media mogul from returning to his home in Canada.
The former-Telegraph owner was earlier freed from a six-year prison sentence for fraud on a $2million bond and allowed to return to his Florida mansion.
U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve told Black's lawyers that she needs more thorough financial information from Black before she decides whether to allow him to return to his Toronto home.
Former media mogul Conrad Black arrives at the federal courthouse in Chicago with his wife Barbara Amiel
'I want more certainty,' she said. 'I need more to make a fully informed decision.'
She ordered Black to turn over the passport, even though it had expired, and said he won't be allowed to obtain a new one without the court's permission.
Black was freed from a federal prison in Florida on bail on Wednesday after serving two years of a six-and-a-half-year sentence for defrauding Hollinger International Inc. investors out of millions of dollars.
St. Eve had ordered Black to return to court Friday to go over his bond conditions. As she read the conditions and asked Black if he understood them, he repeatedly replied, 'Yes, your honor,' in a husky voice.
Black, who towered over his attorneys in a muted blue suit and red tie, left the courthouse without speaking to reporters and was whisked away in a waiting car.
Black's friend and former business partner, Roger Hertog, posted the $2 million bond on Wednesday.
Black wants to return to Toronto because of the media attention outside his oceanfront mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, and because his wife has medical conditions that make their Florida home unsuitable during the summer, his attorney Miguel Estrada said.
Black seems to be in good spirits as he arrives in court to hear the conditions of his release
'The only abode that he has at present is his house in Toronto,' Estrada told St. Eve, noting that Black was allowed to live in Canada after his conviction and before his sentencing in 2008.
Black and three former Hollinger executives were convicted in 2007 of defrauding investors out of $6.1 million.

One of the prosecutors' arguments was that Black deprived the company of his faithful services as a corporate officer, breaking the so-called 'honest services' law.
Black also was convicted of obstruction of justice after jurors saw a video of him carrying boxes of documents out of his offices, loading them into his car and driving off with them. The documents were sought by government investigators.
The U.S. Supreme Court last month limited the scope of the honest services law, leaving it to the 7th Circuit to determine whether to overturn Black's conviction in whole or in part.

The appeals court granted Black's motion for bail as he appeals his fraud conviction.
It remains unclear, however, where Black's case stands in light of the Supreme Court's ruling.
St. Eve ordered Black to return to court in August for a hearing on his request to return to Canada.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...#ixzz0uXZ9CVn1

US District Judge Amy St Eve has ordered Black to hand over his expired passport and told him he should not apply for another one.

Lawyers for the tycoon said he wanted to go back to Toronto in order to avoid media attention and because his wife had a medical condition that made Florida an unsuitable place to live, the Associated Press news agency reported.

Black was freed following a US Supreme Court decision that rejected as unconstitutionally vague the law used to prosecute him for fraud.

The former Hollinger International executive was convicted in 2007 of defrauding investors of $6.1m by paying himself a tax-free bonus from the sale of newspaper assets without the approval of the company's board.

He was also convicted of obstructing justice after being recorded on videotape removing documents from his office in Toronto after US regulators had informed him he was under investigation.

He was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

**Hugh** · 24 July 2010, 10:24

Re: Conrad Black

I believe he has an expired British passport which would not have been much help in leaving the country. Since he gave up his Canadian citizenship to become a British Baron, I think he should be denied entry to Canada since he is now an alien with a criminal record, a factor which influences decisions on admission.

Cheers,

Hugh

**sandyc** · 24 July 2010, 10:32

Re: Conrad Black

Agreed

Sandy

**Alastair** · 24 July 2010, 10:40

Re: Conrad Black

Actually I think they should allow him into Canada as he's quite a character and he's likely to build up some other businesses which would give jobs and tax revenues to Canadians.

Alastair

**Hugh** · 24 July 2010, 10:47

Re: Conrad Black

Originally posted by Alastair View Post

Actually I think they should allow him into Canada as he's quite a character and he's likely to build up some other businesses which would give jobs and tax revenues to Canadians.

Alastair

I doubt it Alastair. I think he is in retirement mode now and if anything would be looking to skim his Canadian assets for what they are worth.

Cheers,

Hugh

**Alastair** · 24 July 2010, 11:09

Re: Conrad Black

Likely so Hugh... mind you there is a huge amount of interest in him from Canada. Huge coverage on TV here.

Alastair