A Canadian court found him guilty of a crime in four cases, reports CBC.
The court found a Finnish-Canadian businessman in the fashion industry in his session held in Toronto by Peter Nygård having committed sexual violence in four cases.
One of the five women who testified as a victim in court was only 16 years old at the time of the act that led to the prosecution. The time of the crimes that ended up in court spanned from the 1980s to the middle of the first decade of the 2000s.
The scene of the crimes has been the bedroom of Nygård’s office in downtown Toronto.
Nygård was acquitted of two charges, one of which was a sexual offense and the other of deprivation of liberty.
According to the CBC, Nygård listened to the verdict without any emotional reactions. Throughout the six-week court process, he has assured that he is innocent. According to the CBC, Nygård has been in custody since December 2020.
The length of 82-year-old Nygård’s sentence will be announced later.
Nygård resigned from the management positions of his companies at the beginning of 2020 due to his criminal suspicions.
More lawsuits to come
Nygård also faces a trial in Quebec in the summer of 2024. He is also accused of sexual crimes in Quebec. In the United States, on the other hand, he faces charges of sex trafficking and extortion.
Peter (originally Pekka) Nygård was born in Helsinki. At the age of 10, he moved with his parents to Winnipeg, Canada.
Sources: Reuters, CBC