Canadian fashion tycoon Peter Nygard has been found guilty of four counts of sexual assault, while being acquitted on one count of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement by a court in Toronto. The jury delivered their verdict after five days of deliberation. The charges against Nygard, who is now 82 years old, date back to incidents that occurred between 1988 and 2005, involving four women and a 16-year-old girl.
This trial is the first in a series of charges that Nygard faces for multiple sex crimes committed over several decades in Canada and the United States. The verdict was announced by Justice Robert Goldstein, who expressed his gratitude to the jury for their extensive and challenging work. Nygard’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, did not rule out the possibility of appealing the verdict.
During the closing arguments, Greenspan criticized the prosecution’s portrayal of his client as an “evil predator,” arguing that the case was built on “contradictions and innuendo.” He further suggested that some of the accusers were motivated by financial gain, describing their testimonies as “painfully absurd.”
Prosecutor Ana Serban countered Greenspan’s claims by emphasizing the consistency in the five accusers’ accounts. She argued that Nygard’s testimony was evasive and inconsistent, highlighting the “remarkably similar accounts” given by the survivors. Serban asserted that these independent accounts had formed a pattern of behavior that could not be dismissed as coincidence.
Nygard himself took the stand in his defense, claiming no recollection of meeting or knowing four of his accusers and denying any involvement in the rape of any of the five women. Attributing his lack of memory to age, he admitted that his recollection had become “very fuzzy.”
Nygard will face sentencing on November 21, in relation to the charges in Toronto. Additionally, he faces similar charges in Quebec and Manitoba. Moreover, there is the possibility of extradition to the United States, where Nygard has been accused of sexually assaulting numerous women and girls, as well as engaging in racketeering and trafficking.
Having founded Nygard International in 1967, the fashion mogul has been held in detention since his arrest in 2020. His conviction represents a significant milestone in the ongoing legal proceedings against him, shining a light on the allegations of sexual assault made by countless women over the years. This verdict serves as a reminder of society’s obligation to hold individuals accountable for their actions, regardless of their stature or position of power. As the legal process continues, it remains to be seen how justice will be served for the victims and what further consequences Nygard will face.
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