From the Toronto Star this morning comes this news that must see our wee Connie on the glum side of Saturday morning as well:

The U.S. government has moved decisively against tycoon Conrad Black, with proceeds from the sale of his elegant Park Avenue apartment in New York being seized in dramatic fashion by federal agents. Alleging that the property was obtained by fraudulent means, agents appropriated nearly $9 million (U.S.) yesterday, after descending on the apartment's real estate closing. The agents produced a civil warrant signed by a Chicago judge, allowing them to grab proceeds immediately after the transaction closed...According to affidavits supporting the warrant, "the sale of the proceeds were derived from a fraud scheme carried out by Black," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement...

All in all it is still likely better to be Randy Johnson than Conrad Black today. An interesting legal move given that the fraud scheme is only an allegation. All that may be required, however, is the allegation in that jurisdiction if the money is paid into Court. But it makes you wonder why Black's lawyers would not have seen this coming as for all intents and purposes it will be beyond his reach for years and maybe gone.