Fashion Mogul Peter Nygard Agrees to Extradition to U.S. to Face Sex Charges

U.S. prosecutors have accused him of prison perform involving dozens of victims in the U.S., Canada and the Bahamas.

Mr. Nygard was not in the courtroom in Winnipeg, but appeared via a online video feed from jail. A keep track of set to the aspect of the courtroom showed him wearing a blue mask and sitting down in a blue room, in accordance to a online video of Friday’s hearing posted by the Manitoba Courts.

Mr. Nygard’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, said in court docket that Mr. Nygard maintains his innocence.

“This process can now shift ahead in get for him to face trial in the United States on an expedited basis, and for him to have an opportunity to raise his defense and to challenge the truthfulness of the evidence which has been brought from him,” said Mr. Greenspan.

Mr. Nygard founded the intently held clothing enterprise Nygard Global in Canada in 1967. He stepped down as chairman last year, right after his workplaces were being raided in Manhattan as aspect of an international intercourse-trafficking probe.

It is unclear when Mr. Nygard will go to the U.S. The Toronto Law enforcement Company on Friday said it has issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Nygard’s arrest. He will be charged in Toronto with six counts of sexual assault and 3 counts of forcible confinement, in accordance to a Toronto Law enforcement push launch.

Mr. Greenspan said through a briefing with reporters on Friday broadcast by area networks that it is up to Canada’s federal governing administration to determine how it needs to handle the situation.

The minister of justice could either await the outcome of the Canadian charges or deliver him to the U.S. with assurances that he will be returned to face charges in Canada, Mr. Greenspan said.

Compose to Vipal Monga at [email protected]