Black hiding $60-million offshore, court told

Black hiding $60-million offshore, court told

Fraudster can't return to Canada for now

PAUL WALDIE

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

August 2, 2007 at 4:01 AM EDT

CHICAGO — Conrad Black's legal saga took a new twist yesterday with allegations he has moved $60-million offshore through a variety of banks in the Channel Islands, Caribbean and Gibraltar.

The allegations came in an affidavit filed in court by Juval Aviv, a controversial private eye who runs a New York investigation firm called Interfor Inc. In the filing, Mr. Aviv said he was hired nearly a year ago by Hollinger, one of Lord Black's old companies, to conduct an "in-depth asset investigation of Conrad Black and his related companies."

The accusation came on a day in which the judge in Lord Black's trial refused him permission to return to Canada, where he had hoped to wait out the period before his sentencing in November.

Toronto-based Hollinger used to be a key part of Lord Black's business empire. He left the company in 2004 amid allegations of fraud and his control over it has been restricted by the courts. Hollinger's new managers have launched several lawsuits against him and have obtained a court-ordered freeze on his worldwide assets.