Judge Is Asked to Hold Rigases in Contempt

Cable TV operator Adelphia Communications Corp. asked a federal judge to hold founder John Rigas and two of his sons in contempt for defying a court order by paying more than $100,000 to ex-assistant treasurer Michael Mulcahey.

Mulcahey, Rigas and his sons Michael and Timothy are on trial in New York on allegations of fraud that helped push Adelphia into bankruptcy protection. Last month Mulcahey testified that he had been paid $1,846 a week by the Rigases since May 2003.

A U.S. bankruptcy judge in November 2002 barred the three Rigases from transferring assets without his permission, except to operate their business, Wending Creek Farms. Adelphia is suing the three to recover some of the money owed to its creditors.