83-Year-Old Sentenced To 11 Years For Sexual Assault
He also faces separate charges of sexual assault and sex trafficking in Montreal, Winnipeg, and the U.S., but has consistently denied all allegations.
Peter Nygard, former Canadian fashion mogul, was convicted for sexually assaulting four women in Toronto and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Justice Robert Goldstein described the 83-year-old as a “sexual predator” and noted that “Nygard showed no empathy for his victims,” some of whom were as young as 16.
In November, Nygard was found guilty on four counts of sexual assault but was acquitted of a fifth count and one charge of forcible confinement, The Associated Press reports.
He also faces separate charges of sexual assault and sex trafficking in Montreal, Winnipeg, and the U.S., but has consistently denied all allegations.
Nygard, once the leader of a fashion empire, arrived in court in a wheelchair but did not address the court when given the opportunity. After factoring in time already served, he will spend less than seven years behind bars and will be eligible for parole in two years.
The charges were based on incidents from the 1980s to the mid-2000s.
During the trial, five women, whose identities are protected by a publication ban, testified that they were lured to Nygard’s Toronto office under false pretenses, such as job interviews or tours.
Four of them were sexually assaulted in a bedroom suite on the top floor.
Several women shared similar stories, recounting meetings with Nygard in locations such as planes, airport tarmacs, and nightclubs, followed by invitations to his headquarters.
Each of the five women said these encounters ended in unwanted sexual activity.
Nygard’s lawyer argued for a six-year sentence, citing his age and health issues, including Type 2 diabetes and deteriorating vision.
The Crown sought a 15-year sentence. The judge rejected the request for leniency, stating, “Nygard has been receiving special treatment in custody due to his various health issues.”
Goldstein also said Nygard may have been exaggerating his health problems, calling him “a Canadian success story gone very wrong.”
Nygard founded his fashion company in Winnipeg in 1967, eventually building it into Nygard International. However, he stepped down after an FBI raid on his New York offices in 2020.
The company has since filed for bankruptcy.
