Conrad Black fired back Friday in his legal battle with Hollinger International, filing an $850-million lawsuit against several of the company's directors in an Ontario court, alleging they defamed him.

Through his lawyer, Edward Greenspan, Black issued a statement of claim against Gordon Paris, the interim chairman and CEO of Hollinger International, and independent directors Richard Burt, Graham Savage, Raymond Seitz and James Thompson.

Black is also suing Richard Breeden, a former chairman of the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission. Breeden represents and advises the special committee of Hollinger International's board in its investigation into allegations of millions of dollars in "unauthorized" payments made to Black and other Hollinger executives.

Breeden's lawyer issued a statement calling Black's allegations "ridiculous."

Black's claim is for:

  • Defamation in the amount of $200 million;
  • Conspiracy to injure in the amount of $200 million;
  • Interference with economic relations and intimidation in the amount of $200 million;
  • Intentional misrepresentation in the amount of $200 million; and
  • Punitive damages in the amount of $50 million.

In mid-January, Hollinger International removed Black as its chairman, just hours after announcing a $200 million US lawsuit over the alleged financial irregularities.

That lawsuit named Black and associate David Radler as defendants. It accused them of "sham" accounting, and alleges that they "diverted and usurped corporate assets." Several companies controlled by Black are also named.

None of the claims in the various lawsuits has been proven in court.

In the wake of his dismissal from Hollinger International, Black moved to sell control of the company by dealing his stake in Hollinger Inc. to Britain's Barclay brothers. The brothers' Press Holdings International offered $605-million for all of Hollinger Inc.'s shares.

Hollinger International, which owns such newspapers as the Daily Telegraph and the Chicago Sun-Times, has fought back against the Press Holdings deal, adopting a "poison pill" to try to thwart the takeover.