Conrad Black slated for release from prison this week

Fallen Canadian-born media tycoon Conrad Black is scheduled to be released from a U.S.prison bynext weekend, according tocorrections officials.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons online inmate locator lists Black's release date fromMiami's Federal Correction Institutionas next Saturday.

Bureau spokeswoman Tracy Billingsleytold CBC Newsthe date is only a "projected estimate" of a release date but is "generally accurate.'" But sheadded Black could be free as early as Friday.

"When a release date falls on a weekend, we can release them on the Friday prior to that weekend," Billingsley said Sunday.

Black, 67,was resentenced last June to 42 months in prison on fraud and obstruction of justice charges.

Black had already served 29 months inthe Coleman federal prison in Florida before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down some of his initial convictions, citing a misuse of the "honest services" provision of the U.S. fraud statute. His original sentence was for 78 months in prison after multiple convictions on fraud and obstruction of justice charges.

The court agreed to accept the29 monthshe had already served as part of his new sentence of 42 months.

In an interview withMatt Galloway of CBC Toronto Radio's Metro Morninglast August, Black talked about the possibility of eventually getting back the Canadian citizenship he renounced in 2001 to take a seat in the U.K.'s House of Lords.

He said he wants to return to Toronto, because that's where his wife, journalist Barbara Amiel, lives, but he wont try to get his Canadian citizenship right away.

He owns a home in Toronto, but Canadian officials aren't disclosing whether they will allow him back into the country.