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Last Updated: 7/13/2020
Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been named in a federal class-action lawsuit for allegedly sexually 10 women and girls, some of whom were underage at the time of the alleged assaults.
The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York last week. Nygard is accused of exploiting his position in the fashion industry to lure women into sexual assaults with drugs, money, and the promise of success in the modeling industry.
In the lawsuit, Nygard is also accused of sex trafficking at Lyford Cay – his 150,000 square-foot compound in the Bahamas. According to the lawsuit, most of the victims were sexually assaulted here during “pamper parties” with major political figures and law enforcement officials.
The lawsuit says that some of the victims were forcibly held at his properties and were not allowed to leave without his permission. Nygard allegedly forced the victims to perform sex acts “through a combination of fraud, coercion, psychological force and manipulation, and physical force,” according to the lawsuit. They were also forced to recruit new victims.
The claim also alleges that Nygard maintained a database of potential victims with information on over 7,500 underage girls and women, which was allegedly kept on his company’s corporate server.
According to the lawsuit, Nygard also bribed local law enforcement in the Bahamas to help him hide evidence of his crimes.
Attorney Laurence Banville represents sexual assault victims and their families in civil lawsuits. We’ve asked Brian to share some of his thoughts on the legal rights of those who have been sexually assaulted by fashion executives and others in positions of power:
Sexual predators are often found in positions of power and influence in global industries like film and fashion. These predators exploit their power in order to victimize innocent people, thinking that their money power will shield them from consequences for their crimes. However, more and more victims have been coming forward and speaking out against powerful sexual predators.
Reporting these crimes to law enforcement may result in a criminal investigation, but this is not the only route to justice. In many cases, sexual assault victims may also have grounds for a lawsuit against the people who have assaulted them.
If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual assault by someone in a position of power, you can learn more about your legal rights in a free consultation with one of our dedicated sexual assault victims lawyers.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/18/dozens-of-new-women-accuse-fashion-exec-peter-nygard-of-sexual-abuse/
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