Former newspaper tycoon Conrad Black pleaded not guilty Friday to new charges of racketeering, obstruction of justice, money laundering and wire fraud in the alleged plundering of $80 million from Hollinger International Inc.
The new charges against Black, 61, came two weeks after he pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged defrauding scheme involving the newspaper empire he once controlled.
The additional charges, which came in an indictment Thursday, bring the maximum penalties against Black to 95 years in prison and a $7 million fine. Before the new charges, he faced a maximum of 40 years in prison and $2 million.
Black’s former chief financial adviser, John Boultbee, also pleaded not guilty on Friday to one new count of wire fraud. He already had been charged with eight counts of fraud.
Charges brought against co-defendants Peter Atkinson, Mark Kipnis and the Ravelston Corp. Ltd., the Canadian company that Black used to control Hollinger International, remained unchanged. All have pleaded not guilty.
The former Hollinger executives are accused of cheating on taxes and looting more than $80 million from the company through a series of fraudulent payments linked to the sale of several hundred U.S. and Canadian publishing properties.