Former Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, 83, was sentenced to 11 years in prison in a Toronto courtroom for sexually assaulting four women. The judge called him a “sexual predator” and noted that one of the victims was just 16 years old at the time of the assaults. Nygard denied all allegations against him and faces additional sexual assault and sex trafficking charges in Montreal, Winnipeg, and the United States. He arrived at the courthouse in a wheelchair and did not address the court during his sentencing. His time behind bars will be less than seven years after accounting for time served, and he will be eligible to apply for parole in two years.
The charges against Nygard date back to the 1980s and mid-2000s, with the victims testifying that they were invited to Nygard’s Toronto business headquarters under false pretenses before being sexually assaulted in a top-floor bedroom suite. Multiple women shared similar experiences of meeting Nygard in various locations and ending up in his headquarters where the assaults took place. Nygard’s lawyer argued for a six-year sentence due to his age and health concerns, while the Crown sought a 15-year sentence. The judge, however, dismissed these arguments and noted that Nygard had been receiving special treatment in custody for his health issues, suggesting that he may have been exaggerating his conditions.
Nygard, once the leader of a successful women’s fashion empire under Nygard International, founded his company in Winnipeg in 1967. After FBI and police raids on his New York City offices in 2020, Nygard stepped down as chairman, and the company filed for bankruptcy and entered receivership. He was initially arrested in Winnipeg in 2020 under the Extradition Act for charges in New York related to sex trafficking and racketeering. Manitoba’s highest court denied his application for a judicial review of his extradition order, upholding the decision issued by former justice minister David Lametti. The judge during Nygard’s sentencing referred to him as “a Canadian success story gone very wrong,” acknowledging the downfall of his once-thriving fashion empire.
Throughout his trial, Nygard maintained his innocence, denying all allegations of sexual assault against him. The victims testified that they were lured to his headquarters under false pretenses before being sexually assaulted, leading to Nygard’s conviction on four counts of sexual assault in November. While Nygard’s lawyer argued for a shorter sentence considering his age and health issues, the judge issued an 11-year sentence, indicating that Nygard had been receiving special treatment in custody and suggesting he may have exaggerated his health conditions in court. Nygard’s legal troubles extend beyond his recent sentencing, as he faces additional charges in other locations where he conducted business under his fashion company, Nygard International.
The case against Nygard highlights the prevalence of sexual assault and abuse of power in the fashion industry, where prominent individuals can exploit their positions to victimize vulnerable women. Nygard used his status as a fashion mogul to lure women to his business headquarters under false pretenses before sexually assaulting them, ultimately leading to his multiple convictions and sentencing for these crimes. Despite Nygard’s denial of the allegations against him, the testimonies of the victims and the judge’s decision in sentencing paint a troubling picture of his conduct and the consequences he now faces for his actions. The downfall of Nygard and his fashion empire serves as a cautionary tale of the consequences of abusing power and preying on vulnerable individuals in any industry, especially in the fashion world where such abuses have historically been prevalent.
