So, the former big shot in Canadian fashion, Peter Nygard, just got nailed on four counts of sexual assault. Five women testified that he used a swanky private bedroom in his company HQ to attack them.
The Jury’s Call
After chewing it over for five days, a Toronto jury dropped the hammer with this verdict on Sunday: guilty on four counts of sexual assault. They gave him a pass on one count of sexual violence and forcible confinement.
The Shocking Trial
This trial lasted six weeks, and boy, did it get heavy. Five women, whose names are under wraps, spilled the beans on assaults that went down from the 1980s to the mid-2000s. They all shared similar stories about Nygard’s invites to his clothing empire’s HQ in Toronto. These “tours” ended up in his personal suite, rigged with a bed, TVs, and a jacuzzi. The doors? No handles. The locks? Controlled by Nygard.
The Heartbreaking Stories
One woman, just 16 at the time, testified that Nygard assaulted her when she was brought to his place by an older guy she was dating. Another woman got real emotional, fearing nobody would believe her against Nygard’s wealth and power.
Nygard’s Take?
He claimed he didn’t remember meeting four of these women or having any dealings with them back then. He denied any wrongdoing, saying it wasn’t his style. Plus, he insisted no one could’ve been locked up in his private pad.
The Final Rounds in Court
The Crown prosecutor didn’t buy Nygard’s story, calling it flaky and not too trustworthy. His lawyer, on the other hand, said these women weren’t credible due to problems and doubts about their allegations. And now, there’s talk about appealing the verdict.
Nygard’s Journey
Born in Finland, Nygard grew up in Manitoba, making bank in the clothing biz. But things hit the fan after the FBI and cops barged into his New York office in 2020. His company took a nosedive, even going bankrupt.
Trouble didn’t end there.
He got nabbed by Canadian cops in 2020, at the request of the US. Nygard’s in hot water in three different places: Quebec and Manitoba here in Canada, and in the US. He’s accused of more sexual assault and confinement stuff, stretching back to the ’90s.
Facing the Music
The kicker? He’s fighting extradition to the US, where a bunch of women slapped him with a lawsuit. Fifty-seven women, 18 of them Canucks, accused Nygard of using violence, cash, and his workers to lure and silence them. But, as always, Nygard’s shouting out his innocence, denying everything.