Canadian entrepreneur Peter Nygard, who ran a large fashion empire and was described as egocentric, self-righteous and manipulative, ended his career in the dock. He was convicted of sexually assaulting several women.
The 82-year-old fashion tycoon was found guilty of sexually harassing four women in December 2020. He was a friend of Hollywood stars, traveled in private jets and enjoyed lavish parties at his huge estates in the Bahamas and Los Angeles. At the opening of his trial he protested his innocence.
According to prosecutor Ana Serban, the Finno-Canadian used his “power and status as a wealthy fashion entrepreneur to lure and sexually harass young women.”
Women describe attacks
Over several weeks, the women alleged that they had been “tricked” by Peter Nygard. They were in a room with a bed, a bar and a door that was locked with a handle, that had no handle and was locked with a code.
The women called to the stand tearfully recounted a series of incidents in which they were threatened and then attacked. One of the women described a “monster” and told how he “became a different person” before “returning to his business as if nothing had happened.”
The man liked to show videos that showed “all the things he did, his fashion shows, his fur coats…” “He talked a lot about himself,” said one plaintiff. “I remember his shirt was unbuttoned further than it should have been,” she told jurors, referring to his somewhat “dated look” and his “flamboyant” style.
Before his arrest, the businessman, who emigrated to Canada from Finland as a child, was happy to talk about his incredible rise. He started with nothing and built a fashion empire from Winnipeg in the southeast of the country. He founded the largest women’s clothing company in Canada with up to 170 stores across the country. His fortune was previously estimated at $850 million (over €575 million).
Shocking videos
However, his company entered bankruptcy protection shortly after the FBI and police raided its Manhattan headquarters in 2020, the year of his arrest.
The arrest came after the publication of videos that Stephen Feralio, his personal cameraman, shot at some parties, among other places. “All you had to do was go down and pick a girl. Most of the time they were drunk,” says Stephen Feralio, summing up the events.
In his testimony, Peter Nygard denied the allegations, describing them as “ridiculous” and making “no sense.” After the trial in Toronto, he will have to appear in court in Quebec and Manitoba on similar charges. His lawyer declined to comment when contacted by AFP. In the USA, where he is also accused by dozens of women, he faces nine charges. The charges include extortion and sex trafficking.
The case of Peter Nygard is reminiscent of that of Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier who committed suicide in custody in 2019 after being arrested for running a prostitution ring made up largely of underage girls. (AFP)
This translated article previously appeared on FashionUnited.fr