A Catholic abbot, who testified on behalf of Joe Nacchio during his 2007 insider-trading trial, said Wednesday he was sad to learn that Nacchio's conviction had been reinstated.

"I continue to stand by him," said the Rev. Giles Hayes, an administrator at the private New Jersey school where Nacchio's sons attended.

Hayes said he didn't know how Nacchio is spending his time, but that he continues to connect with Nacchio "occasionally," including over the recent Christmas holidays.

Nacchio has million-dollar homes in New Jersey and Florida, and also visits one of his sons in New York City.

Hayes testified that Nacchio was with him in eastern Kentucky in December 2000, distributing gifts and food to the poor.

The trip occurred at the same time that former Qwest President Afshin Mohebbi wrote a memo to Nacchio warning him the telco's financial targets were a "huge stretch."