‘A sexual predator’: Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard sentenced to 11 years in prison
Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for sexual assault convictions in Toronto from the ’80s to mid-2000s.
Kkritika Suri
Peter Nygard, the former fashion mogul, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for sexual assault convictions in Toronto spanning from the 1980s to the mid-2000s.
The sentence was delivered on Monday by Justice Robert Goldstein, nearly 10 months after Nygard was convicted in November 2023 on four counts of sexual assault, while he was acquitted of a fifth count and one count of forcible confinement.
In addition to his prison term, Nygard will face a 10-year weapons prohibition, a DNA order, and will be listed on the sex offender registry for 20 years.
Nygard has 6.7 years remaining on his sentence after accounting for pre-sentence custody. Justice Goldstein indicated that Nygard would be eligible for day parole in 21 months and full parole in 27 months.
Once a prominent fashion tycoon who led a successful women’s fashion company, Nygard was accused of sexually assaulting multiple women at his Toronto headquarters from the 1980s through the mid-2000s.
The 83-year-old appeared in court in a wheelchair, wearing a black hoodie pulled over his head, with a long beard and a paper visor to shield his eyes from the light.
During the sentencing, Justice Goldstein described Nygard as a “sexual predator” and noted that some women had testified they did not report the assaults to police due to fears of not being believed, given Nygard’s wealth and influence.
Due to a publication ban, the identities of the complainants remain protected.
Five women testified that they were invited to Nygard’s Toronto headquarters under various pretexts, including tours and job interviews. All encounters ended in a private bedroom suite on the top floor, where four of them were sexually assaulted.
The testimonies revealed similar scenarios of meeting Nygard at various locations, such as on a plane, at an airport, or at a nightclub, and subsequently receiving invitations to his headquarters. Each of the five women reported that their interactions with Nygard culminated in non-consensual sexual activity.
One complainant detailed being held against her will in Nygard’s private suite, leading to the forcible confinement charge. Others described feeling trapped in the suite, with doors controlled by keypad codes or buttons near the bed.
Nygard’s current lawyer sought a six-year sentence, taking into account his age and health issues, while prosecutors recommended a 15-year term.
Justice Goldstein remarked that although Nygard’s health has deteriorated in custody, he doubted that this was due to harsh conditions, expressing skepticism about Nygard’s claims and suggesting he tends to exaggerate his health problems.
Nygard was first arrested in Winnipeg in 2020 under the Extradition Act after facing charges in New York, including sex trafficking and racketeering.
At that time, the federal justice minister indicated that Nygard would be extradited to the U.S. once the Canadian cases were resolved.
