In my "Canuck" mind, there are only two high-flying birds worthy of note in the rustic terrain of Canada.
Out front, there is tthe unique mercurial rascal Nelson Skalbania - and lagging behind slightly - that scrappy (Sir) Conrad Black who ended up in the slammer.
Until Wednesday, that is, when a U.S. District Court Amy St. Eve (too precious a thought to wrap my head around) ordered that the once-infamous robber - um - publishing Baron be released on bond.
The high-profile publisher once Lorded over a dazzling media empire which included prestigious rags like the London Daily Telegraph, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Canada's National Post.
The latter was Black's dismal disjointed effort to weave a tapestry of distinct "Canadian" news that just didn't fly in some quarters.
To get a handle on the "Post", imagine a big ballsy bloated version of USA Today - rife with fluff and pretensions of not being Provincial - and you've got it!
Although media hounds south of the border referred to the rogue investor (who facilitated other people's money ninety-percent of the time to fund his novel ventures) as a hearty Canadian - by choice - he wasn't in the true sense where it mattered most.
Black was scorned for that!
Now stones are being heaved his way since the startling news of his rise like a phoenix from the ashes back into polite society?
Until the Judge fathoms up worthy grounds to toss out Black's 2007 conviction for defrauding shareholders, the Court has issued a directive that he limit his carousing - personally and financially - to the continental United States.
To back-track a tad, it should be noted that Sir Conrad Black was hustled off to a Florida jail in 2008.
A resolute jury convicted the in-your-face celebrity (with the trophy wife) of three counts of fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors painted a sinister portrait of a greedy man consumed by the high life who treated shareholder accounts as if they were open vaults in his own personal bank to spend at whim..
Prosecutors said Black and three fellow Hollinger executives (also convicted in the case) arranged to pay themselves tax-free bonuses disguised as non-compete fees as they sold off gold chunks of the Hollinger spoils.
Clever, if you can get away with it!
The swindling scheme uncovered and proven at trial, determined that Black spirited away $6.1 Million dollars from defunct Hollinger International Inc.
However, the teflon "Don", squirmed out of nine other counts (which including racketeering) which establishes why Lindsay Lohan may have switched lawyers (a tad too late, poor baby!).
Judge St. Eve sentenced Black (after a trial highly-charged with intrigues) to a 6 1/2 years in prison for his cloak-and-dagger dastardly deeds.
As of this July, the once-fiery media King, will have served approximately two years in the slammer.
In cushy country-club environs?
Just betcha!
Conrad Black's surprise "get out of jail card" surfaced when the Supreme Court (with U.S. jurisdiction) limited the reach of the federal fraud law that prosecutors sought refuge in respect to corruption cases against government defendants.
"The Federal Law is normally applied in fraud cases in which a person is accused of depriving others of their intangible right to honest services."
Until now, the wobbly statute was considered too vague.
Although Black breathes a little easier this week, the pressure may build in the future, if a myriad of litigants pursue civil lawsuits in a concerted effort to recoup their substantial losses at the hands of a man who - in spite of alleging to be a Professional wordsmith - has remained clueless about the value and meaning of the term remorse.
And, that begs the question.
Where's the moolah?
The House that Hollinger built!
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