General

Conrad Black released from prison

Former media mogul Conrad Black has been released from prison in Florida on Friday, after serving a total of 42 months for fraud and obstruction of justice. He was picked up from prison by U.S. immigration officials, but it’s unclear if he was taken to a processing facility or straight to the Miami airport, according to the Globe and Mail.

Not being an American citizen, Black is expected to leave the U.S. right away, but his destination is as yet unknown. Black relinquished his Canadian citizenship in 2001 to accept a title from the British House of Lords, but was granted a one-year temporary resident permit, which allows him to return to Canada. Black has a house in Toronto, where his wife, Maclean’s columnist Barbara Amiel, lives. Since Black is a British citizen, he could also be flown to the United Kingdom.

From the Globe and Mail:

An immigration detainer had been placed on the former head of Hollinger International. It was expected that he was going to be driven to a detention centre and booked for deportation. But it appears Lord Black was driven straight to the Miami International Airport. A worker with the Krome Detention Center told reporters he was scheduled to take a charter flight. Immigration officials have not confirmed that Lord Black was taken to the airport.

Prison and immigration officials are revealing few other details, citing privacy laws and security policies. If Lord Black is deported, he faces a 10-year ban on returning to the United States.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: