Conrad Black to Begin Prison Term in March

Conrad Black has lost his bid to remain out of prison while he appeals his fraud and obstruction-of-justice convictions and must prepare to go to jail by March 3, a U.S. federal judge ordered Thursday.

Convicted newspaper mogul Conrad Black arrives at the federal building in Chicago in December for sentencing in his racketeering and fraud trial.Convicted newspaper mogul Conrad Black arrives at the federal building in Chicago in December for sentencing in his racketeering and fraud trial.

(M. Spencer Green/Associated Press)

The former chief executive of Hollinger International in December was sentenced to 6½ years in prison for his role in the misappropriation of millions of dollars from the newspaper empire he once headed. He was also fined $125,000 US.

Black, 63, was convicted in July of illegally siphoning $US6 million ($6.7 million) out of the Hollinger International newspaper empire under the pretence that they were so-called non-compete payments from buyers of the company's assets.