Reports: Radler To Plead Guilty Sept. 15 (Fitzgerald Hollinger indictment)

[FormerRepublican]

"CHICAGO F. David Radler will plead guilty Sept. 15 to charges he fraudulently steered more than $32 million in payments from Hollinger International, according to published reports in Chicago Wednesday.

The Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, quoting federal prosecutors, reported that Radler's arraignment scheduled for Thursday morning had been moved to the later date.

A co-defendant in the wire and mail fraud case, former Hollinger International general counsel Mark Kipnis, will be arraigned Wednesday, prosecutors said. Previous reports indicated he will plead not guilty and be released on $4,500 bond.

Radler, a former Sun-Times publisher and long-time business partner of deposed press baron Conrad Black, is cooperating with the investigation into allegations that he, Black and other key executives improperly collected payments and fees totaling as much as $400 million. Black is widely believed to be the ultimate target of the investigation headed by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald.

A Tribune story by staff writer Matt O'Connor quoted Assistant U.S. Atty. Eric Sussman as saying Radler's guilty plea has been scheduled for Sept. 15 in U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve's courtroom. He said Radler would likely be released on $500,000 after the plea."

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/departments/business/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001020111

Anyone know what the purpose of a delay of the arraignment might be?

[Roland99]

1. Not sure but I was really hoping to see Perle dragged into this.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aY248MKyPfdM&refer=us

Hollinger's Board: Most Irresponsible Ever?
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/01/business/01place.html?ex=1125028800&en=3c408f49521e4165&ei=5070&oref=login

The Hollinger board was studded with political heavyweights chosen by Lord Black, a Canadian who became a British peer after Hollinger took control of the Telegraph newspapers in London.

Among them were Henry A. Kissinger, the former secretary of state, and Richard N. Perle, who was assistant secretary of defense under President Ronald Reagan and is the former chairman of a Pentagon advisory board. Democrats were not left out, with the board including Robert S. Strauss, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and ambassador to the Soviet Union, and Richard R. Burt, a former United States ambassador to Germany.

<...>

"Perle's own description of his performance on the executive committee was stunning," the report states. For example, he said the committee never met but that from time to time he would get a package of documents to sign. He also said he never discussed the documents with the other committee members and often did not bother to read them before signing.

"It is difficult to imagine a more flagrant abdication of duty than a director rubber-stamping transactions that directly benefit a controlling shareholder without any thought, comprehension or analysis," the committee report says. "In fact, many of the consents that Perle signed as an executive committee member approved related-party transactions that unfairly benefited Black and Radler, and cost Hollinger millions."

Hollinger Files Stinging Report on Ex-Officials
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/01/business/media/01conrad.html

Perle Could Be Added to Hollinger Lawsuit
http://www.nytimes.com/financialtimes/business/FT20040831_26440_51833.html

Principal Findings of Hollinger Panel (Full Report)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/31/business/31WIRE-HOLL.html

[FormerRepublican]

2. That's an excellent article on Perle that I hadn't seen before.

Thank you! It was enjoyable reading. I'm with you - I hope Perle is next in Fitzgerald's sights.

[Roland99]

3. He sure slinked back into the dark of night, eh?

[lovuian]

4. Ya ever since the Israeli spies were found in the Wolfawitz

office Pearle has not been in the open for months and months!!!