Conrad Black fights liens for unpaid taxes placed on Toronto mansion

Conrad Black is fighting two liens that have been placed on his Toronto mansion that claim he owes more than $15 million in unpaid taxes.

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The former media mogul filed a notice of application Wednesday with the Federal Court for a judicial review of the liens.

The liens were filed against Black's home on May 6 and May 10, alleging that he owes taxes from 2002, 2003 and 2008.

The Canada Revenue Agency claims that Black is in arrears in the amounts of $12,307,717 and $3,513,877.

In his notice of application, Black claims the national revenue minister used information that contained "material omissions and inaccuracies" and wasn't "full and frank" when applying to the court for the liens.

The document also says there are reasonable grounds to doubt CRA claims that payment would be jeopardized if the collection of the taxes were delayed.

When asked why he is fighting the liens through the courts, Blackresponded in an email: "Where else do you fight an unjust imposition?"

Black said the liens have delayed the sale and lease-back of his home.

According to the Multiple Listings Service, which tracks real estate sales, Black sold his 23,000-square-foot property in the tony Bridle Path neighbourhood to an undisclosed buyer for $16.5 million in March. Black has three mortgages on the house for $15.5 million.

He and his wife, Barbara Amiel-Black, had planned on continuing to live in the nine-bedroom, 11-bathroom home, as part of the lease-back arrangement.

At one time, Black controlled Toronto-based Hollinger International, once one of the world's largest English-language newspaper empires whose flagship publications included the Daily Telegraph, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Jerusalem Post and the National Post.

The estate at 26 Park Lane Circle was originally built by Black's father, George Montegu Black, and had been in the family for 65 years.