Judge: Rigases must begin jail sentences Aug. 13
Request to remain free on bail denied

John and son Tim Rigas.

John Rigas and his son, Timothy, were ordered this week to begin their prison terms on Aug. 13. The jarring announcement came from U.S. District Judge Leonard Sand in Manhattan, N.Y.

The former Adelphia Communications Corp. executives and their attorneys had no immediate comment after Judge Sand denied their request to remain free on bail while their criminal convictions are on appeal.

The U.S. Bureau of Prisons will determine where they will serve their time. John Rigas, 82, was sentenced to 15 years. Timothy, 51, faces a 20-year sentence.

They were convicted of conspiracy, securities fraud and bank fraud, stemming from their financial dealings at Adelphia. The Rigases were sentenced by Judge Sand in June 2005. Sand said Wednesday that he was unwilling to delay their incarceration, particularly after the convictions were upheld by an appeals panel last month.

A defense lawyer told Bloomberg News Service that the Rigases will continue to pursue their appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, John Rigas and Timothy Rigas are scheduled for a federal trial on tax evasion and conspiracy charges starting Oct. 3 in Williamsport. They also are defending civil lawsuits filed by Adelphia, its shareholders, and auditing firm Deloitte & Touche.

Adelphia began its collapse on March 27, 2002, when it disclosed the Rigases owed $2.3 billion in off-balancesheet debt on bank loans taken jointly with the company. Last July, Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Inc. bought Adelphia's cable properties for $17.6 billion.

The Adelphia estate continues the lengthy process of paying creditors and closing down its business.

The Rigases maintain their innocence. John Rigas told Endeavor News that he and other financial executives at Adelphia relied on auditors at Deloitte & Touche and lawyers at Buchanan Ingersoll in their financial dealings.

Deloitte agreed to pay a $50 million settlement to avoid a civil trial on allegations brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The auditors also paid $210 million to settle with Adelphia investors.