Chicago – Former Chicago Sun-Times publisher David Rad ler pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking part in a scheme to siphon away $32 million from Hollinger International Inc., the newspaper’s parent company, for himself and others.
Radler, who resigned in 2003, entered his guilty plea to one count of mail fraud in federal court. He has cooperated with prosecutors, who have said the investigation is ongoing. Radler remains free on bond.
“I plead guilty,” Radler told U.S. District Judge Amy J. St. Eve.
Radler was indicted Aug. 18 along with a former Hollinger International executive and Toronto-based Ravelston Corp., a private company owned until last spring by press titan Conrad Black, on five counts each of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud.
They were accused of cheating shareholders in the United States and Canada, as well as Canadian tax authorities.
Black, the ousted chief executive and chairman of Chicago-based Hollinger International, was not charged in the indictment.
Black stepped down from Hollinger International under pressure in late 2003 after an internal investigation accused him and others of looting the company of hundreds of millions of dollars. The company removed Black, who has denied wrongdoing, as chairman in January 2004.
