The Toronto sexual-assault case against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard has seen a reduction in the number of charges from 11 to six. Jury selection, originally scheduled to begin on Monday, was postponed to the following week after it was revealed that some complainants are not expected to testify. Initially, Nygard was facing eight charges of sexual assault and three charges of forcible confinement in the Toronto case.
Crown lawyer Neville Golwalla informed Justice Robert Goldstein in a downtown Toronto courtroom on Monday that three of the original eight complainants in the case will not be testifying. As a result, the case was adjourned until September 20, when jury selection is expected to commence. According to court documents, Nygard is now facing trial in Toronto on five charges of sexual assault and one charge of forcible confinement.
Nygard, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, is facing charges in three jurisdictions in Canada as well as one in the United States. In 2020, he was first arrested in Winnipeg under the Extradition Act after being charged with nine counts in New York, including sex trafficking and racketeering charges. U.S. authorities allege that Nygard exploited his position in the fashion industry to lure women and girls. Federal Justice Minister David Lametti has stated that Nygard will be extradited to the U.S. once the cases against him in Canada are resolved.
In addition to the charges in Toronto and the U.S., Nygard also faces two sex charges in Quebec and is accused of sexual assault and unlawful confinement in Manitoba based on allegations from the early ’90s. Nygard has consistently denied all the allegations against him. He founded his fashion company in Winnipeg in 1967 but stepped down as chairman after his New York offices were raided by the FBI and police in February 2020. Subsequently, Nygard International filed for bankruptcy.