Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard indicted in U.S. on sex trafficking charges

By Rod Nickel and Jonathan Stempel

 

Finnish-born fashion designer Peter Nygard is seen at the Raumanmeri midsummer festival in Rauma, Finland, June 22, 2007. Lehtikuva/Roni Rekomaa via REUTERS

 

WINNIPEG, Manitoba/NEW YORK (Reuters) -The Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard was charged on Tuesday with sex trafficking, racketeering and other crimes targeting dozens of women and underage girls over a quarter century in three countries, U.S. authorities said.

 

Canadian police arrested Nygard in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Monday at the U.S. government's request under the countries' extradition treaty.

 

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss in Manhattan said Nygard, 79, had since 1995 used his influence and businesses to "recruit and maintain" victims in the United States, Canada and the Bahamas to sexually gratify himself and his associates.

 

“Mr. Nygard vehemently denies all the allegations and expects to be vindicated in court," his lawyer Jay Prober said.

 

Nygard wore a white face mask, a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants, with his long white hair pulled back in a bun, at an initial appearance in a Winnipeg courtroom.

 

He was led away while wearing handcuffs and leg chains. Nygard plans to seek bail, and his next scheduled hearing is on Jan. 13, 2021.

 

Nygard also faces class-action civil litigation in Manhattan by 57 unnamed women accusing him of sexual misconduct. He has denied wrongdoing.

 

Born in Finland, Nygard grew up in Manitoba, eventually running his own namesake clothing companies and becoming one of Canada's wealthiest people.

 

Authorities said that victims were assaulted by Nygard or his associates, with some drugged to ensure they met his sexual demands, and that Nygard often targeted victims who came from disadvantaged backgrounds or had suffered abuse.

 

The nine-count indictment said Nygard used multiple means to recruit victims.

 

These allegedly included company-funded "Pamper Parties" named for their free food, drink and spa services, and held at his properties in Marina del Rey in California and the Bahamas.

 

The indictment said Nygard took some victims - he called them "girlfriends" - to swingers clubs where they would be intimidated into having sex with other men, "to facilitate Nygard having sex with other women and for his own sexual gratification."

 

Nygard also used threats of arrest, reputational harm and lawsuits to silence potential accusers, the indictment said.

 

In February, Nygard stepped down as chairman of Nygard International after its New York headquarters near Times Square was raided by the FBI.

 

The company filed for bankruptcy in March.

 

Nygard has also been embroiled in a decade-long feud, including defamation claims and other litigation, with billionaire hedge fund manager Louis Bacon, who owns an adjacent property in a gated Bahamas community.

 

(Reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg and Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-16

 

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Another Snake caught.

18 minutes ago, webfact said:

Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard indicted in U.S. on sex trafficking charges

Good.

Edited December 15, 20205 yr by Kelsall

Troll post removed.

 

There's such a thing as a Canadian fashion mogul???

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard indicted in U.S. on sex trafficking charges

 

another hi so caught in shady sex dealings. huge pattern world wide regarding this subject. 

Yeiks that’s ugly hope he gets farmed out in the general population in prison (if found guilty)

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Nygard also faces class-action civil litigation in Manhattan by 57 unnamed women accusing him of sexual misconduct.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Nygard, 79, had since 1995 used his influence and businesses to "recruit and maintain" victims in the United States, Canada and the Bahamas to sexually gratify himself and his associates.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

victims were assaulted by Nygard or his associates, with some drugged to ensure they met his sexual demands,

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Nygard often targeted victims who came from disadvantaged backgrounds or had suffered abuse.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The company filed for bankruptcy in March.

 

Despite all his money and the ' devoted followers ' of it , he is just an a-hole .

Die in jail .

What a hypocritical society america has become ????

2 hours ago, onebir said:

There's such a thing as a Canadian fashion mogul???

 

of course

 

Since 1995?  So why has it taken 24 years to arrest him?

14 hours ago, cmarshall said:

Since 1995?  So why has it taken 24 years to arrest him?

Goes back much longer than that. I remember him getting arrested here in 1980 for raping a 18 year old woman. Charges were later stayed because she decided she didn't want to give testimony. Seemed someone got to her. Last time I went to renew my passport he was ahead of me in line. Sure wouldn't be mistaken for a billionaire fashion mogal. I almost said " Hey buddy, the 70's called and want their jeans back."

So we are seeing many of these new cases, people who use their wealth to attract the pretties who want a free lunch. 

Only the dumb and very naive would not realise they may be expected to be preyed upon. 

All the society glitterati who were present at these soires are as guilty as him by not reporting or even shunning these events. 

Society and the law created such an intimidating ordeal if you made allegations that nobody dared to challenge the wealth and the million dollar lawyers they could buy. 

Times have changed, I don't fancy his chances in the new environment. 

Sleazy would be the nicest thing you could call him. 

22 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

What a hypocritical society america has become ????

 

Speaking of hypocrisy I find it amusing that people who use services of Thai women who come from "disadvantaged backgrounds or had suffered abuse" are condemning this guy ????

4 minutes ago, Pravda said:

 

Speaking of hypocrisy I find it amusing that people who use services of Thai women who come from "disadvantaged backgrounds or had suffered abuse" are condemning this guy ????

Touche..

A post making a false claim regarding the legal allegations in this case has been removed.

 

13 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

Speaking of hypocrisy I find it amusing that people who use services of Thai women who come from "disadvantaged backgrounds or had suffered abuse" are condemning this guy ????

The man was dealing in sex trafficking and underage girls. That’s  what the members here are condemning. 

Edited December 17, 20205 yr by Tongjaw
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