Radler paroled in Canada on corporate fraud conviction

David Radler, the former president of Hollinger International Inc. and former publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times, has been granted parole in Canada on his corporate fraud conviction.

Radler, who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $60 million from the Sun-Times' parent with Hollinger Chairman Conrad Black, served 10 months of his 29-month term.

He pleaded guilty to fraud and provided testimony for eight days in the the trial of Black and three other corporate executives. Radler ultimately repaid $63.4 million to the company.

A Canadian parole board official said Radler was freed because he was serving time for a first offense and was deemed unlikely to commit a violent act.

Radler began serving his sentence Feb. 25 in a federal penitentiary in Moshannon Valley, Penn. He was transferred to a prison in British Columbia in September. United States law would have required him to serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.