conradblack.jpgConvicted of defrauding Hollinger International last July, Canadian-turned-British media mogul Conrad Black was sentenced yesterday to six and a half years in prison, fined $125,000 and forced to forfeit $6.1 million dollars. Mr. Black, aka Lord Black of Crossharbour, was allowed to keep his Florida home despite prosecutors’ requests to the contrary.

This verdict is something of a let down to those who really wanted to see Black suffer, as his prison sentence is less than a quarter of the over 30 year sentence that prosecution was seeking. However, if Black reports to jail by March 3 as ordered, he will be pushing 70 when he’s released.

So what should Black be doing to prepare for his six year sentence (assuming an appeal doesn’t go through)? David Novak, a former white-collar criminal who now is a consultant to corporate inmates, advises clients to “prepare for prison life by taping off a small area in their living room and restricting themselves to that.”

Three of Black’s co-defendants were given slightly easier punishments. Peter Atkinson, a former Hollinger lawyer, was given two years in prison followed by three years of supervised parole. John Boultbee, Hollinger’s ex CFO, was given just over two years in prison, three years of probation and over $150,000 in fines. Mark Kipnis, Hollinger’s former general counsel, has yet to be sentenced.