Fraud Case Against Mogul Goes to Jury

(NEWSER) - The standard of proof at former media mogul Conrad Black's fraud trial in Chicago will be set low. In issuing the so-called "ostrich instruction," the judge allowed the jury to convict if Black and his co-defendants deliberately avoided knowing about wrong-doing. More»

Court rules tycoon must spend appeal process in prison

(NEWSER) - Former media tycoon Conrad Black, convicted of swindling millions from his newspaper empire, will be behind bars by Monday night, reports the Chicago Sun-Tribune. A Chicago court ruled that he couldn't remain free on bail while awaiting a decision on his appeal. Black has been sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for obstruction of justice and defrauding shareholders of Hollinger International, once the third-largest publisher of English-language newspapers in the world. More»

Convicted media baron accused of hiding money in Gibraltar

(NEWSER) - Disgraced media mogul Conrad Black has shuffled $60 million to an offshore account into Gibraltar, an affidavit filed at his Chicago bail hearing alleged yesterday. Canada's Globe and Mail reports that Juval Aviv, a private investigator with a checkered past, told the court that he had uncovered a complex network of secret bank transfers while working for Black's Hollinger Media. More»

Limits 'honest services' prosecutions for white collar crimes

(AP) - The Supreme Court ruled today that prosecutors erred in using a federal fraud law to convict former Enron chief executive Jeffrey Skilling, but left it to a lower court to determine whether his conviction should be overturned. The justices were unanimous in imposing limits on the use of the federal "honest services" fraud law that has been a favorite of white-collar crime prosecutors. In a related opinion, they also ordered a new a hearing for former newspaper magnate Conrad Black. More»

But will review Conrad Black's conviction

(NEWSER) - The Supreme Court today refused to hear William Jefferson’s appeal, meaning the former New Orleans congressman’s corruption case is headed for trial, the Times-Picayune reports. The court will, however, consider overturning the fraud conviction against former media mogul Conrad Black and two of his compatriots. More»