In a lawsuit filed in a New York court Sunday, two of Winnipeg fashion mogul Peter Nygard’s sons accused their father of ordering his girlfriend, who the suit claims is a “known sex worker” to rape them when they were teenagers.
The millionaire clothier has already been accused of sexual assault by 57 women in a different, class-action lawsuit also filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in February this year — the two lawsuits were filed by the same lawyers.
The accusations stem from women from five countries and three continents. None of the allegations in either lawsuit have been proven in court. The lawsuit filed by his sons requests a jury trial, as does the class-action.
One of Nygard’s lawyers, Jay Prober, said his client categorically denies the new allegations when reached by phone late Sunday.
“My client is shocked by these allegations, which he says are completely false. They are without merit,” the Winnipeg lawyer said.
Nygard resigned as chairman of Nygard International in February this year following an FBI raid of the company’s New York City headquarters amid the allegations of sexual assault and sex trafficking.
In the latest court complaint, his sons claim Nygard instructed the same alleged sex worker — who was a long-time girlfriend of Nygard’s — to “statutorily rape” them, 14 years apart.
The two complainants, both Nygard’s biological children, are identified as John Doe number one and number two in the court documents obtained by Global News.
Read the full complaint here:
The first complainant alleges he was flown from California to Nygard’s Winnipeg residence in 2018 when he was just 14-years-old, where Nygard orchestrated the alleged rape to “make a man” out of him, according to the court documents.
The documents allege his flight was paid for with Nygard company money and the rape occurred in a company-owned property.
In the document, it is alleged Nygard’s girlfriend, identified as “Jane Roe”, showered in front of the first complainant and performed oral sex on him before having penetrative sex — despite knowing he was 14-years-old.
“Jane Roe told John Doe No. 1 that he ‘wasn’t bad’ for a ‘baby.’ The next morning, Jane Roe brought John Doe No. 1 breakfast and kissed him on the lips, saying ‘mommy’s got you’,” the court complaint reads.
“But this wasn’t the first time Nygard had orchestrated the rape of one of his sons,” it reads further.
“In 2004, Nygard choreographed a similar scenario — instructing the same Jane Roe to rape John Doe No. 2, Nygard’s son who was then only 15-years-old.”
According to the documents, the 2004 allegation occurred in The Bahamas, where Nygard owns a large beach-front property — that allegation is less detailed.
“Nygard instructed Jane Roe to have sex with his son, John Doe No. 2, a minor,” the court documents read. “Jane Roe engaged in sexual intercourse with John Doe No. 2, knowing he was only fifteen years old.”
“These allegations are nothing more than generalities sadly lacking in detail and why is that? Because my client says it never happened, so they couldn’t have any details,” Prober said of the sons’ allegations.
The new complaint was also filed against three of Nygard’s companies, alleging executives not only knew about Nygard’s accused crimes, but enabled them.
“The Nygard companies, through Nygard and a close ring of upper-level executives and employees, know that Nygard is a sexual predator and/or sex trafficker,” the complaint reads, also alleging the companies have acted as a front for Nygard’s accused sex trafficking.
“In turn, the Nygard companies, through their executives and employees, have participated in and covered-up his crimes for decades so that they can continue to benefit financially and professionally.”
The 39-page court document begins by alleging Nygard’s two sons filed the suit to stand with victims of sexual abuse.
“They bring this action to shine the light of truth on their father’s sexual abuse. Each of the sons has experienced, first-hand, the destruction caused by Peter Nygard’s sex trafficking venture and, through their truth, stand for accountability and justice,” the court document reads.
Nygard moved to have the class-action lawsuit dismissed in a motion filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in early July, arguing the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear it.
Fifty-seven women, including 18 Canadians, have joined the class-action lawsuit, which alleges that Nygard used violence, intimidation, bribery and company employees to lure victims and avoid accountability for decades.
The women are seeking yet-to-be-determined damages.
Nygard has denied all allegations and blames a conspiracy caused by a feud with his billionaire neighbour in the Bahamas.
“Peter Nygard believes this is part of the continued conspiracy against him and part of the continued publicity campaign against him. You will note that the same lawyer (that) issued the class action in New York is the lawyer that issued this particular claim,” Prober said of the latest lawsuit.
Nygard was once one of the richest people in Canada. The lawsuit said Nygard has an estimated net worth of about $900 million.
He started his company in Winnipeg more than 50 years ago.
— with files from Elisha Dacey and the Canadian Press
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