Peter Nygard, who once led a womenB次元官网网址檚 fashion empire, was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault on Sunday but was acquitted of a fifth count, plus a charge of forcible confinement.

The jury at his trial in Toronto handed down the verdict on their fifth day of deliberations following a six-week trial. The 82-year-old Nygard B次元官网网址� who appeared in court in a wheelchair with his hair tied back and sporting a long Canada Goose jacket over a hoodie and tinted glasses B次元官网网址� stood stoically beside his lawyers as the jury read out each ruling.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, Crown attorney Neville Golwalla thanked the jury, Toronto police and the complainants for what he called a B次元官网网址渏ust result.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭his is a crime that typically happens in private and profoundly impacts human dignity. To stand up and recount those indignities in a public forum such as a courtroom is never easy and takes great courage,B次元官网网址� he said of those who came forward.

Nygard had pleaded not guilty to all charges, which stemmed from allegations dating back from the 1980s until the mid-2000s.

His lawyer, Brian Greenspan, said heB次元官网网址檒l be reviewing the verdict to determine whether it warrants an appeal.

B次元官网网址淭he jury has spoken and we now have to review the rulings that were made to determine whether or not there will be further proceedings,B次元官网网址� said Greenspan.

B次元官网网址淢r. Nygard is frail and has numerous health challenges, that will be part of the position taken when we come back in a number of weeks with respect to the sentence.B次元官网网址�

Five women B次元官网网址� whose identities are protected by a publication ban B次元官网网址� had testified that they were invited to NygardB次元官网网址檚 headquarters at 1 Niagara St. in Toronto under pretexts ranging from tours to job interviews, with all encounters ending in a top-floor bedroom suite where four of them were sexually assaulted.

Multiple complainants told the jury similar stories of meeting Nygard on a plane, at an airport tarmac or at a nightclub and then receiving invitations to come to the headquarters. All five women said their meetings or interactions with Nygard ended with sexual activity that they did not consent to.

Greenspan said the issue of similar fact evidence B次元官网网址� which is evidence of a personB次元官网网址檚 prior disreputable conduct unrelated to events before the court B次元官网网址� was allowed by trial Justice Robert Goldstein and will inform whether an appeal is warranted, since it often dictates outcomes in cases like this one.

One of the complainants testified that Nygard wouldnB次元官网网址檛 let her leave his private suite for some time, which led to the forcible confinement charge. Others also testified about feeling trapped in the suite, describing doors that had to be opened with a keypad code or the push of a button near the bed.

One woman testified that she was only 16 years old when she accompanied an older man she was dating at the time to NygardB次元官网网址檚 headquarters, where she said Nygard sexually assaulted her before another woman handed her an emergency contraceptive pill on her way out.

Nygard testified in his own defence at the trial and denied all five womenB次元官网网址檚 allegations, saying he didnB次元官网网址檛 even recall meeting or interacting with four of them. He insisted he would never engage in the type of conduct he was accused of, and said no one could have been locked inside his private suite under any circumstances.

At the end of the trial, the Crown argued that Nygard was evasive and unreliable in his testimony and the similarities in all five womenB次元官网网址檚 stories showed a pattern in his behaviour.

The defence, on the other hand, argued that the complainants crafted a B次元官网网址渇alse narrativeB次元官网网址� about Nygard and suggested their sexual assault claims were motivated by a class-action lawsuit against him in the United States.

Following the verdict, Kai Bickle-Nygard told reporters he had been trying to B次元官网网址渂low the whistleB次元官网网址� on his father since 2019, a decision he said came at great personal cost B次元官网网址� including his reputation and inheritance.

An examination of the case shows voices being systematically silenced, he said, but also proves there is a path forward for victims of sexual abuse. He encouraged others to see if they B次元官网网址渃an find that strengthB次元官网网址� to pursue that path.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just about Peter Nygard. ItB次元官网网址檚 about examining the system, the laws and the rules to see where that problem was so that we can correct it for others in the future,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲e are dealing with this systematic monster who used his business talents for evil to prey on others, and itB次元官网网址檚 a very good thing that justice was served here. I hope everyone whoB次元官网网址檚 affected by this has a sigh of relief.B次元官网网址�

Shannon Moroney, a trauma therapist and survivor advocate for more than 50 of Peter NygardB次元官网网址檚 alleged victims, was seen outside the courthouse excitedly calling some of the complainants to break the news.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 relief, itB次元官网网址檚 victory, itB次元官网网址檚 joy, itB次元官网网址檚 pain, itB次元官网网址檚 disappointment B次元官网网址� This is a battle won in a much bigger war,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭he message from the survivors who have the guilty verdict in their names share it not only with the one who didnB次元官网网址檛 get the guilty verdict in this case, but with every other survivor, every other girl and woman who Peter Nygard has harmed, has stolen their lives and their years from.B次元官网网址�

Nygard is still facing criminal charges in three other jurisdictions.

He is accused of sexual assault and forcible confinement in separate cases in Quebec and Manitoba, related to allegations dating back to the 1990s. He is also facing charges in the U.S.

Nygard was first arrested in Winnipeg in 2020 under the Extradition Act after he was charged with nine counts in New York, including sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

The federal justice minister at the time had said Nygard would be extradited to the U.S. after the cases against him in Canada are resolved.

None of the charges against Nygard in those other jurisdictions have been tested in court.

Nygard founded a fashion company in Winnipeg in 1967 that ultimately became Nygard International. The company produced womenB次元官网网址檚 clothing under several brand names and had corporate facilities in both Canada and the U.S.

Nygard stepped down as chairman of the company after the FBI and police raided his offices in New York City in February 2020. The company has since filed for bankruptcy and entered into receivership.