Disgraced former press tycoon and chairman of The Daily Telegraph, Conrad Black, who was convicted on four counts of fraud and obstruction of justice in July, for stealing $US6.1m (₤3m) from shareholders' money and removing 13 boxes of documents, was given a prison sentence of six and a half years yesterday.
Jack Boultbee, the former CFO of Hollinger International, the newspaper publisher of which Black was chairman, was sentenced to 27 months and ordered to pay $153,000. Boultbee received his sentence after being found guiilty on three counts of mail fraud.
Amy St Eve US District Judge rejected a US government call for Black to be given a stiffer sentence of about 20 years. Black also was fined $US125,000 and has to forfeit $US6.1m for the fraud and obstruction of justice, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Andrew Frey, one of Black's appeal lawyers, said he would fight hard to appeal the sentence and keep Black out of jail.
The judge gave Black three months to get his affairs in order before he must report to prison on March 3. She suggested he serve his time at the prison camp at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Further reading:
Employee expenses: a needless claim?
reader comments