Conrad Black may not be able to sell his house until he pays $15 million in back taxes

Conrad Black’s 23,000-square-foot Bridle Path mansion found a buyer just before it was supposed to hit the auction block in March. Now, though, it seems that the $16.5-million deal may not close until Black has made arrangements to pay the taxman.

The Globe reports that the Canada Revenue Agency filed two liens against Black’s property on May 6 in an attempt to force him to come up with a combined $15 million in unpaid Canadian and U.S. income taxes before finalizing the sale. If Black is unable to resolve the liens, they could further complicate an already complicated transaction. As reported by the Star back in March, Black had hoped to sell the house and then lease it back from the buyer, effectively turning himself into a tenant in his own mansion.

Black told the Globe that the liens are “nonsense.”