In the WorldCom case, for instance, Scott Sullivan, the former chief financial officer, testified against chief executive Bernie Ebbers. The Government strikes deals with insiders before going after the person who is the ultimate target," Mr Mintz said.A spokesman for Lord Black declined to comment Few doubt that he will continue to protest his innocence. In this case, Lord Black was the public face of the company and he used that position to become a society figure on both sides of Atlantic.Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor who now works at the firm of McCarter & English in Newark, New Jersey, said state authorities need to get someone on board who can explain the exact meaning of apparently incriminating company documents."The way these cases are built is gaining the co-operation of some mid- to high-level insiders, so that prosecutors can truly understand the intricacies of complex transactions... The court filing by the former Hollinger executives in the other case concedes that "additional defendants now appear vastly closer to facing similar - if not more severe - [criminal] charges".The deal that has been cut with Mr Radler follows a classic pattern in prosecuting fraud, whereby more junior company officers are offered leniency in return for assistance in trying to bring in the bigger fish. He did not, however, comment directly on Lord Black.Lord Black, 61, seems to admit that charges will now almost inevitably be levied against him.

It emerged yesterday that in a court filing for a separate civil case brought against former top executives of Hollinger, including Lord Black, his wife Barbara Amiel, and Mr Radler, the defendants say the criminal allegations will probably encompass more people.So far, those charged by state prosecutors are Mr Radler, a former company lawyer Mark Kipnis (who is pleading not guilty), and a corporate entity Ravelston, which was allegedly used to take the improper payments. This possibility has now suddenly come several steps closer, with Mr Radler assisting the authorities to identify any evidence there may be against Lord Black."Obviously, Mr Radler co-operating is a good development for us ... insiders at the company were stealing money," Mr Fitzgerald said at a press conference called to trumpet the Radler charges. That he would be forced swap his seat in the House of Lords for a bunk in a US prison cell.

According to the federal prosecutor Patrick J Fitzgerald, Mr Radler will plead guilty to these charges at a hearing in mid-September. Throughout the Hollinger scandal, which exploded in late 2003 and led to the company having to sell its prize asset, The Daily Telegraph, it has always been hard to believe that the bombastic and intelligent Lord Black would ever actually end up behind bars. Mr Radler was then charged with seven counts of fraud, charges that carry a maximum jail sentence of 35 years. But last month, federal prosecutors in Chicago announced with glee that Mr Radler, 63, had decided to co-operate with their criminal investigation into allegations that he, Lord Black and their associates siphoned off millions of dollars from Hollinger. Mr Radler and Lord Black of Crossharbour had maintained their innocence throughout the scandal that engulfed their Hollinger International media empire, dismissing allegations of "racketeering" and "corporate kleptocracy".