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 CHICAGO (AP) - A businessman who steered the big Hollinger newspaper empire through a storm of lawsuits and investigations testified Wednesday that former media mogul Conrad Black "was very knowledgeable" about the finances of the company he's accused of swindling out of $84 million.
Investment banker Gordon Paris, who took over command of Hollinger International Inc. from Black in November 2003, was first to take the stand at the trial of Black and three other former Hollinger executives.
"Based on my experience, Mr. Black was very knowledgeable" about Hollinger financial operations, Paris said. Prosecutors plainly hope his testimony will undercut a defense claim that Black left many financial details to top aide F. David Radler, now the government's star witness.
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