Conrad Black was Pardoned by Trump In 2020 Black was convicted of fraud involving money diverted from Hollinger newspaper transactions and obstruction of justice.
Two emails dated November 6 and November 9, 2006, reveal behind-the-scenes legal coordination involving Leslie Wexner, Henry Kissinger and several influential figures connected to Hollinger International, the media empire formerly controlled by Conrad Black.
They appear in the context of the Epstein files and connect Wexner's legal affairs to a network of former government officials, billionaires, financiers and media executives.
1. What do the emails say?
November 6, 2006
An email from "dkiesq@.." to attorney Ronit Setton of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft states:
«We will join»
This indicates an initial willingness to participate in a proposed legal action.
November 9, 2006
Ronit Setton follows up, explaining that several former Hollinger outside directors were considering joining a lawsuit as plaintiffs.
Five had confirmed they would participate regardless of whether Kissinger, Meitar, Wexner or Chambers joined.
However, Henry Kissinger and Shmuel Meitar had decided not to participate.
According to Setton, Kissinger's attorney had previously described him as a "lightning rod", explaining that Kissinger did not want to take a prominent role unless a sufficiently large group participated.
Kissinger subsequently indicated that he would follow Meitar's decision.
Setton then asked whether Leslie Wexner would still participate despite their withdrawal.
The correspondence demonstrates that Kissinger and Wexner were part of the same legal coordination discussions.
2. What was Hollinger International?
Hollinger International was a major international media corporation controlled by Canadian businessman Conrad Black.
Its newspaper holdings included:
\- The Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom)
\- Chicago Sun-Times (United States)
\- The Jerusalem Post (Israel)
\- The National Post (Canada), through its earlier ownership
Hollinger became embroiled in a massive corporate governance scandal involving allegations of improper payments, self-dealing and misleading financial disclosures.
Its directors faced shareholder litigation over their oversight of the company.
3. Who else was involved?
Look at the names appearing on Hollinger's board or in the legal proceedings:
Individual| Background
Henry Kissinger| Former U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser
Leslie Wexner| Founder of The Limited and Victoria's Secret; Jeffrey Epstein's longtime financial patron
Conrad Black| Media magnate who controlled Hollinger
Richard Perle| Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense and influential foreign-policy adviser
Richard Burt| Former U.S. ambassador to West Germany and arms-control negotiator
Robert Strauss| Former Democratic National Committee chairman and U.S. ambassador
Marie-Josée Kravis| Business executive, philanthropist and wife of KKR co-founder Henry Kravis
A. Alfred Taubman| Former Sotheby's chairman and real-estate billionaire
Dwayne Andreas| Former chairman of Archer Daniels Midland
George Weidenfeld| British publisher and member of the House of Lords
Shmuel Meitar| Israeli communications and media businessman
James R. Thompson| Former governor of Illinois
Raymond Chambers| Financier and philanthropist
These were not simply newspaper executives. Hollinger brought together individuals from American foreign policy, international finance, publishing, government and corporate power.
4. Where does Jeffrey Epstein fit?
The clearest established connection is Leslie Wexner.
Wexner was both a Hollinger outside director and Jeffrey Epstein's longtime patron and financial client.
Epstein exercised extraordinary influence over Wexner's financial affairs for years.
The November 2006 emails therefore raise an important question:
Was Epstein involved in managing Wexner's legal response to the Hollinger litigation?
The emails reproduced here do not answer that question by themselves. They identify legal correspondence concerning Wexner, but do not establish Epstein's personal participation or show that Kissinger was communicating with Epstein.
Still, they provide a useful starting point for examining how Wexner's business and legal relationships intersected with the circles Epstein cultivated.
5. Another interesting connection: Kissinger, Perle and Conrad Black
Court documents identify additional relationships beyond their common Hollinger directorships.
Kissinger and Conrad Black were both associated with The National Interest, which received financial contributions from Hollinger.
Kissinger, Richard Perle and Black were also connected through Trireme-related investment entities.
This makes Hollinger particularly interesting as an intersection of media ownership, private investment and foreign-policy influence.
- The bigger question
The emails do not prove an Epstein-directed conspiracy or wrongdoing by everyone named.
But they document something worth examining: Wexner and Kissinger were part of the same powerful corporate network, and Wexner's legal representatives were coordinating with other former Hollinger directors during the company's legal fallout.
That is the question the surrounding correspondence could help answer.
Sources to investigate:
\- November 6 and November 9, 2006, correspondence involving Ronit Setton and "dkiesq
\- In re Hollinger International, Case No. 04-C-0834, Northern District of Illinois
\- Hollinger International's 2005–2007 SEC filings
\- Hollinger International v. Black, Delaware Court of Chancery
The connections are documented. Epstein's specific role in these emails remains to be established.
https://contracts.justia.com/companies/sun-times-media-group-inc-50291/contract/977022/?\\_\\_cf\\_chl\\_tk=ZInh3A.WBZpyOga2kQ9oyydMpQh0VZs9KnF3Mwa1tbo-1791979135-1.0.1.1-5YeO7VEdotFPbMxymZV23952uQlULV\\_aLBhsIodv3Mc
Two emails dated November 6 and November 9, 2006, reveal behind-the-scenes legal coordination involving Leslie Wexner, Henry Kissinger and several influential figures connected to Hollinger International, the media empire formerly controlled by Conrad Black.
They appear in the context of the Epstein files and connect Wexner's legal affairs to a network of former government officials, billionaires, financiers and media executives.
- What do the emails say?
November 6, 2006
An email from "dkiesq@.." to attorney Ronit Setton of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft states:
«We will join»
This indicates an initial willingness to participate in a proposed legal action.
November 9, 2006
Ronit Setton follows up, explaining that several former Hollinger outside directors were considering joining a lawsuit as plaintiffs.
Five had confirmed they would participate regardless of whether Kissinger, Meitar, Wexner or Chambers joined.
However, Henry Kissinger and Shmuel Meitar had decided not to participate.
According to Setton, Kissinger's attorney had previously described him as a "lightning rod", explaining that Kissinger did not want to take a prominent role unless a sufficiently large group participated.
Kissinger subsequently indicated that he would follow Meitar's decision.
Setton then asked whether Leslie Wexner would still participate despite their withdrawal.
The correspondence demonstrates that Kissinger and Wexner were part of the same legal coordination discussions.
- What was Hollinger International?
Hollinger International was a major international media corporation controlled by Canadian businessman Conrad Black.
Its newspaper holdings included:
\- The Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom)
\- Chicago Sun-Times (United States)
\- The Jerusalem Post (Israel)
\- The National Post (Canada), through its earlier ownership
Hollinger became embroiled in a massive corporate governance scandal involving allegations of improper payments, self-dealing and misleading financial disclosures.
Its directors faced shareholder litigation over their oversight of the company.
- Who else was involved?
Look at the names appearing on Hollinger's board or in the legal proceedings:
Individual| Background
Henry Kissinger| Former U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Adviser
Leslie Wexner| Founder of The Limited and Victoria's Secret; Jeffrey Epstein's longtime financial patron
Conrad Black| Media magnate who controlled Hollinger
Richard Perle| Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense and influential foreign-policy adviser
Richard Burt| Former U.S. ambassador to West Germany and arms-control negotiator
Robert Strauss| Former Democratic National Committee chairman and U.S. ambassador
Marie-Josée Kravis| Business executive, philanthropist and wife of KKR co-founder Henry Kravis
A. Alfred Taubman| Former Sotheby's chairman and real-estate billionaire
Dwayne Andreas| Former chairman of Archer Daniels Midland
George Weidenfeld| British publisher and member of the House of Lords
Shmuel Meitar| Israeli communications and media businessman
James R. Thompson| Former governor of Illinois
Raymond Chambers| Financier and philanthropist
These were not simply newspaper executives. Hollinger brought together individuals from American foreign policy, international finance, publishing, government and corporate power.
4. Where does Jeffrey Epstein fit?
The clearest established connection is Leslie Wexner.
Wexner was both a Hollinger outside director and Jeffrey Epstein's longtime patron and financial client.
Epstein exercised extraordinary influence over Wexner's financial affairs for years.
The November 2006 emails therefore raise an important question:
Was Epstein involved in managing Wexner's legal response to the Hollinger litigation?
The emails reproduced here do not answer that question by themselves. They identify legal correspondence concerning Wexner, but do not establish Epstein's personal participation or show that Kissinger was communicating with Epstein.
Still, they provide a useful starting point for examining how Wexner's business and legal relationships intersected with the circles Epstein cultivated.
- Another interesting connection: Kissinger, Perle and Conrad Black
Court documents identify additional relationships beyond their common Hollinger directorships.
Kissinger and Conrad Black were both associated with The National Interest, which received financial contributions from Hollinger.
Kissinger, Richard Perle and Black were also connected through Trireme-related investment entities.
This makes Hollinger particularly interesting as an intersection of media ownership, private investment and foreign-policy influence.
- The bigger question
The emails do not prove an Epstein-directed conspiracy or wrongdoing by everyone named.
But they document something worth examining: Wexner and Kissinger were part of the same powerful corporate network, and Wexner's legal representatives were coordinating with other former Hollinger directors during the company's legal fallout.
That is the question the surrounding correspondence could help answer.
Sources to investigate:
\- November 6 and November 9, 2006, correspondence involving Ronit Setton and "dkiesq
\- In re Hollinger International, Case No. 04-C-0834, Northern District of Illinois
\- Hollinger International's 2005–2007 SEC filings
\- Hollinger International v. Black, Delaware Court of Chancery
The connections are documented. Epstein's specific role in these emails remains to be established.
https://contracts.justia.com/companies/sun-times-media-group-inc-50291/contract/977022/?\\_\\_cf\\_chl\\_tk=ZInh3A.WBZpyOga2kQ9oyydMpQh0VZs9KnF3Mwa1tbo-1791979135-1.0.1.1-5YeO7VEdotFPbMxymZV23952uQlULV\\_aLBhsIodv3Mc
*And there's another development: Trump also pardoned two other Hollinger executives, John Boultbee and Peter Atkinson, on December 23, 2020. *
