The Tribune

POLICE are still investigating allegations of sexual misconduct against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, a top official said yesterday.

However, an investigation into allegations that Mr Nygard bribed law enforcement officials to facilitate his alleged crimes does not appear to have taken off.

Chief Superintendent of Police Solomon Cash, head of the Central Detective Unit, said police are “looking into reports of (Mr Nygard’s alleged) sexual intercourse with underage females.”

Asked about an investigation into the claims of bribery that were revealed in a class action lawsuit filed in New York last week, CSP Cash said that would not come before him. “We investigate criminal allegations,” he said, referring to CDU. “I can’t speak to that.”

Acting Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle, when contacted, said nothing has come before him relating to the bribery allegations.

The lawsuit alleges Mr Nygard bought police protection and offered corrupt officers children and young women with whom to engage in commercial sex acts. It claims he gave money to officers on his payroll to help him bury reports of sexual abuse and to intimidate and harass his victims. It alleged that when Mr Nygard learned of the police investigation into him, “he engaged lawyers to facilitate bribery payments to top Bahamian police officials to get more information that would enable him to attempt to bribe victims or intimidate them into silence.” It further alleges that when Mr Nygard’s “girlfriends” tried to leave him, they were harassed and threatened by Bahamian police on his payroll.

In a recent interview, National Security Minister Marvin Dames said it is important police investigate the bribery allegations against law enforcement and public officials, saying the country’s reputation is at risk.

Meanwhile, Save the Bays expressed disappointment yesterday that the Progressive Liberal Party linked it to the lawsuit accusing Mr Nygard of sexual crimes. That lawsuit, accuses PLP officials of accepting bribes.

“While the current allegations against Mr Nygard are indeed serious, they have nothing to do with Save The Bays,” STB said in a statement. “We are an environmental conservation and good governance NGO which has only ever clashed with the fashion designer over his illegal dredging and other unauthorised construction activities at Nygard Cay which damaged the environment. We have no comment on these new allegations and our organisation is not involved in the matter in any way.”

STB said it had hoped it would work with the PLP in opposition to pressure the Minnis administration to act on environmental protection, freedom of information and the rule of law.

“But for some reason that we cannot fathom, anyone who questions or confronts Peter Nygard on any issue is immediately seen as an enemy of the PLP party,” the group said. “And if Nygard stubs his toe, it must be STB’s fault.”