By: E&P Staff F. David Radler, the former Chicago Sun-Times publisher whose testimony helped convict Conrad Black of looting the paper's parent company, is reporting to U.S. federal prison Monday.
Radler is the first of four top executives of the company once known as Hollinger International Inc. to enter prison for pocketing bogus non-compete fees from the sales of community papers in the U.S. and Canada.
Federal Judge Amy J. St. Eve in Chicago last Friday rejected an emergency motion from Black and two co-defendants to remain free on bail as they pursue an appeal of their conviction last summer on federal charges of fraud and, in Black's case, obstruction of justice. The three have been ordered to report to prison March 3.
Radler, who was Black's long-time lieutenant in his newspaper empire, pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud in a plea bargain for a sentence of 29 months in prison plus a fine in exchange for a requirement to testify against his former boss and others.
It was unclear Sunday where Radler is reporting to federal prison. The Canadian Press reported that he was expected to serve some time in Moshannon Valley prison in Pennsylvania, but Radler's lawyer, Anton Valukas, declined to comment to CP on the location.
As a Canadian citizen, Radler, 65, is expected to request to serve his time in Canada, where the national media report his sentence could be cut to as little as six month. Federal prosecutors have said they will not oppose the request.
Black was convicted to 6 1/2 years in prison. Former Hollinger executives John "Jack" Boultbee and Peter Atkinson were sentenced to 27 months and 24 months, respectively. Former Hollinger General Counsel Mark Kipnis, who was also convicted of fraud, was sentenced to house arrest.
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