Peter Nygard, a former Canadian fashion mogul, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison following his conviction for sexually assaulting women in his Toronto office. The attacks, some of which date back several decades, resulted in four counts of sexual assault being upheld by a Toronto jury in November of last year.
The 83-year-old’s sentence has been reduced due to the time he has already served in custody. With around 6.7 years left behind bars, Nygard will be eligible for full parole after completing one-third of the remaining sentence.
During the trial, which lasted six weeks, five women testified that Nygard had assaulted them in a private suite atop his Toronto office building between the late 1980s and 2005. Nygard was acquitted of a fifth sexual assault charge and one count of forcible confinement.
Nygard was initially arrested by Canadian authorities in 2020 at the request of the U.S., where he faces additional charges, including sex trafficking and conspiracy. Toronto police later brought their own charges, with more legal battles awaiting Nygard in Manitoba and Quebec, where he faces further accusations of sexual assault and forcible confinement.
The former mogul, who grew up in Manitoba after being born in Finland, built a fashion empire and became one of Canada’s wealthiest individuals. However, his criminal activities have tarnished his legacy.
Justice Robert Goldstein, who presided over the sentencing, described Nygard as a “sexual predator” who exploited his wealth and power to commit these assaults, calling his downfall “a Canadian success story gone very wrong.”
In the United States, Nygard continues to fight extradition to face serious federal charges in New York, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting minors for prostitution.
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