Black hit with racketeering, obstruction charges

[Spazito]

The storm surrounding embattled publishing icon Conrad Black gained momentum Thursday when four new U.S. federal criminal charges, including racketeering and obstruction of justice were leveled against him.

snip

Linda Sims, a business correspondent with CTV Newsnet, said the four new charges are some of the most serious so far against Black, and if proven, could land him in jail for a significant period of time.

"They're throwing the book at him as they say in the movies," Sims said.

snip

However, Black may be more concerned about possible incarceration, said Sims. The new charges are more serious than the fraud charges already leveled against him, which are often reduced greatly during sentencing. But racketeering charges, if proven, carry a minimum of three years in jail, and 70 per cent of the allotted time must be served if the defendant is found guilty.

more

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051207/black_charges_051215/20051215?hub=Canada


Please excuse me while I indulge my petty side:


:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[CatBoreal]

1. When it comes to Conrad Black...

schadenfroede (SP) is a wonderful thing.

I wonder if they can take his wife down with him?

[Spazito]

2. From this article, she is already feeling the effects (whining) about the

nasty people who are attacking her and her slimebag of a husband. When the criminal Black is convicted she will lose everything important to her, money and power and that will be worse than prison to her, lol.

It's not pleasant being an object of derision on three continents

snip

In the past two years, Black has been stripped of his positions at Hollinger International, former owners of the Daily Telegraph, and publicly humiliated following allegations-that he misappropriated millions-His reign at the Telegraph ended with its sale to the Barclay brothers last July.

Given the extent of the couple's fall from grace, it's hardly surprising that Amiel's demeanour is one of bruised defiance. 'He'll be back,' she says of her husband. 'I'm not so sure about me. It's been an awful time.

I'm Jewish, I do believe in suffering but there is a limit.' She admits candidly that the couple who dominated the social scene in London (the Evening Standard once asked: 'Is This London's Most Powerful Woman?') have felt their reversal of fortune intensely.

snip

She says this has left her devastated: 'All of the cutting things that were said – the lies, the fabrications – were mere water off a duck's back. But the cruellest thing that happened to me was the loss of my columns. It was like cutting off blood and oxygen.' After Amiel lost her columns, there were few in the Press prepared to support the Blacks. But a handful of writers have risen to their defence, including Telegraph writer Mark Steyn and David Frum, a former aide to George W. Bush who now writes for the National Post.

more, much, much more unfortunately, lol.

http://www.fmwf.com/C2B/PressOffice/display.asp?ID=656&Type=1