Fallen fashion magnate Peter Nygard may be extradited to the United States for trial, but not before settling his accounts with Canadian justice, the Minister of Justice revealed on Tuesday.
“Earlier today, I ordered that Peter Nygard be extradited to the United States to face the charges against him, but only after his trial in Canada,” said David Lametti on his Twitter account.
The 80-year-old Finnish-Canadian multimillionaire is currently being held in Toronto, where he has been on trial since last October on six charges of sexual assault and three charges of forcible confinement for acts perpetrated against women between 1987 and 2006.
“It is important that the Canadian legal process be completed and that all parties, including the victims, have the opportunity to obtain justice,” stressed Minister Lametti.
Last January, Peter Nygard was denied a request for parole.
The businessman has defended himself, since his arrest, of having committed any oddity whatsoever, whether north or south of the border, where he is expected to answer charges of sex trafficking.
According to US prosecutors, Peter Nygard and his accomplices took advantage of his considerable influence in the fashion world to recruit dozens of victims on both sides of the border and in the Bahamas. These victims were allegedly used to satisfy the sexual urges of Nygard and some of his friends and business associates.
Victims were reportedly usually approached with false promises to allow them to pursue modeling careers. Some were reportedly paid to remain silent, prosecutors added.
Born in Helsinki, Finland, Peter Nygard followed his parents to Canada ten years later. In 1967 he founded the company Nygård, which specializes in women’s fashion.
–
