Who is Peter Nygard? Know about early life, career & net worth of fashion mogul accused of sexual assault

Fashion mogul and millionaire Peter Nygard went on a court trial on Tuesday (Sept 26), accused of using his status and power to lure five women separately into a private bedroom suite attached to his company headquarters where he sexually assaulted them, Guardian reported.

In opening arguments, prosecutors said that the 82-year-old met the women in social settings and invited them to the headquarters of his clothing empire in Toronto. All of those "tours" ended in Peter's bedroom.

A lawyer of the victim during the trial said, "He tackles the woman onto the bed, puts his whole body into it, pins her down on her back and tries to undress heragainst her will. She's terrified."

The disgraced millionaire has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement. The names of the complainants are kept private bya publication ban by the Canadian courts.

Here's all you need to know about Peter's personal life, career and worth:

Early & Personal Life:

Peter J Nygard was born on 24 July 1941, in Helsinki, Finland.

His parents immigrated to Deloraine, Manitoba, Canada, in 1952, when he was around eleven years old. Nygard graduated from the University of North Dakota with a business degree in 1964.

In 1967, he founded Nygard International, a Winnipeg-based company that made women's clothes.

The fashion executive has 10 kids with eight women.

Sexual allegations and lawsuits against Nygard

Nygard has been involved in various lawsuits and sex trafficking. In 2019, the Bahamian police began investigating six allegations of rape made against Nygard. According to the officials, all the alleged victims were under the age of 16.

In Jan 2020, hefaced two separate lawsuits after being accused of sexual assault. He settled several lawsuits.

In addition to this, over the years Nygard has been accused of numerous sexual abuse cases including rape, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

1968 - Winnipeg police charged Nygard with sexual offence and other charges that were later dropped after his alleged victim refused to testify.

2015 - 2017- The fashion executive was looked at by the FBI over claims of sex trafficking. He was also investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security for ninemonths in 2016.

TheUSauthorities in 2020 charged himwithracketeering, and sex trafficking, accusing him of committing dozens of crimeswithvictims in the States, the Bahamas andCanada.

Net Worth:

According to the Celebrity Net Worth, the Finnish-Canadian fashion executive has a net worth of $500 million.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE