Prince Andrew's Friend Peter Nygard Found Guilty of Sexual Assault
Tycoon Convicted After Six-Week Trial
Peter Nygard, a close associate of Prince Andrew, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting four women. The 82-year-old Canadian fashion mogul was convicted after a six-week trial. Nygard pleaded not guilty to all charges, which stemmed from allegations dating back to the 1980s to the mid-2000s. His lawyers labeled the accusers as "gold diggers."
Similar Stories and Pattern of Behavior
The trial heard from five women who testified that they were invited to Nygard's Toronto offices under false pretenses and ended up in his private suite where they were sexually assaulted. The women described feeling trapped in the suite, with doors that required keypad codes or a button near the bed to open. Prosecutors argued that Nygard used his power and status to lure and assault young women, while the defense claimed the complainants created a false narrative motivated by a class-action lawsuit against Nygard in the US.
Denials and Additional Charges
Despite the guilty verdict, Nygard denied all allegations and said he did not recall meeting or interacting with four of the women. He claimed that no one could have been locked inside his private suite. Nygard is also facing charges of sexual assault and forcible confinement in separate cases in Quebec and Manitoba, as well as charges in the US. He was previously arrested in Winnipeg in 2020 and charged with nine counts in New York, including sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Accusations More Severe than Epstein?
Lisa Haba, a lawyer representing nearly 60 women suing Nygard in the US, has compared him to Jeffrey Epstein, saying that Nygard was worse and more violent. Nygard, who founded a fashion firm in Winnipeg in 1967, had built a fashion empire with almost 170 stores at its peak and had a personal fortune worth $620 million. He had associations with political leaders, Hollywood stars, and even dined with the late Queen. Nygard's arrest came after footage was released showing a 17-year-old dancing on a stripper pole on his private plane.
Sentencing for Nygard will be announced at a later date.
