By: E&P Staff Over the objections of the U.S. attorneys prosecuting him and Conrad Black for massive fraud at Chicago Sun-Times corporate parent Hollinger International, John "Jack" Boultbee was given permission Friday to skip his next court appearance in Chicago in order to celebrate Canada Day in British Columbia July 1.
Boultbee had asked U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve for permission not to appear at a routine status hearing about the case scheduled for June 30. In a court filing, his lawyers had said the former Hollinger CFO had made plans to "enjoy the camaraderie of his friends and family" at a country club in his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia on Canada Day. Once known as Dominion Day, Canada Day is a sort of equivalent of the United States' Fourth of July holiday.
Boultbee's attorneys also argued that requiring him to fly to Chicago for a 15-minute hearing would cost him some $3,000 in air fare and hotel costs.
In their own filings, prosecutors led by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald said Boultbee's request was frivolous and showed he was not taking seriously the charges against him. The filing said that using the online travel service Orbitz, the U.S. Attorney's Office had found a round-trip air and hotel package for about $1,500.
Black, Boultbee and other former Hollinger International and Hollinger Inc. executives are charged with various counts of mail fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and racketeering in what federal authorities allege was looting of at least $92 million from the publishing company.
Trial is scheduled for March 2007.
In a plea bargain, former Sun-Times Publisher David Radler, who was Black's lieutenant at Hollinger and other entities used to control the mogul's now-lost newspaper empire, has agreed to testify against his former boss and others in exchange for a reduced sentence.
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