The Tribune

ATTORNEY Fred Smith declared yesterday that Peter Nygard’s alleged sexual assault victims “will have their day in court."

His statement came after Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Fred Mitchell decried the influence money has in Bahamian politics after a New York Times revealed how billionaire Louis Bacon and his associates spent millions to push sexual assault allegations against Mr Nygard.

The Times story, published over the weekend after a months-long investigation, highlights numerous examples of Mr Nygard's alleged sexual misconduct but argues the case has been complicated by Mr Bacon’s financial involvement in the lawsuit, which was filed in New York.

The report said Mr Smith created a non-profit organisation to support sexual assault victims. He and Mr Bacon then donated to that organisation and Bahamian lawyers and investigators working the case were then paid through that non-profit, the article said.

Citing ongoing court proceedings, Mr Smith declined to discuss details of the New York Times report, which revealed his extensive role in the lawsuit against the fashion mogul. He noted he is involved in various litigation with Mr Nygard both locally and abroad.

“I confirm that I represent a number of victims who allege that they have been raped and sexually brutalized by Mr Nygard,” he said in a statement to this newspaper.

“That case is being conducted by the firm of Dicello, Levitt and Gutzler, and Lisa Haba In New York.

“The horrific allegations that have been made against Mr Nygard are matters that I understand are currently before the police in the Bahamas.

“Given that all of these matters are currently before the courts and police, I do not think it appropriate of me to comment on any of the details in the New York Times story. It is for the courts to decide on the veracity of the plaintiffs in each of the cases and not me. The victims will have their day in court.

“I am grateful that the media in the Bahamas, the New York Times and many other International journalists are reporting on these important matters.

“The truth will out! As you know Mr Nygard has been convicted of contempt of court in the Bahamas on four occasions and there are bench warrants out for his arrest, as he has refused to appear in court in the Bahamas since January 2019 for his days in court!

“As you are aware, it has been painfully difficult to conduct litigation against the previous government, Mr Nygard and Keod Smith in relation to the many court matters in our courts. I note that the article in the New York Times refers to other victims from abroad that have also independently come forward with their stories of sexual abuse.”

According to The Times, people tied to Mr Bacon gave associates of Mr Nygard “generous incentives to build an abuse case against the Canadian –– Cartier jewellery, a regular salary or a year’s rent in a gated community”, with smaller payments filtering to some of Mr Nygard’s accusers.

The Times said it spoke with two women who initially claimed they were sexually assaulted but later recanted their statements, saying they were allegedly “promised money and coached to fabricate their stories”.

In a separate statement, Mr Mitchell said the report shows “that this is a fight in the nature of a vendetta between two billionaires in Lyford Cay. The Progressive Liberal Party and the Bahamas is simply collateral damage in this wider dispute".

Mr Mitchell highlighted instances mentioned in the article of Mr Bacon spending money to achieve his ends. These include $1.5m allegedly paid to Livingston “Toggie” Bullard and Wisler “Bobo” Davilma to secretly record five meetings with Mr Nygard; $6m to a Texas security firm “to push American law enforcement officials to investigate” the fashion mogul for sex trafficking; $60,000 to a woman to find alleged victims and $500 per week to that woman; a $9,000 watch to one witness; and payments sometimes of $150 or $350 to two sisters coached about what to say about Mr Nygard.

“We remind PLPs that this matter came first to the attention of the House of Assembly when a whistleblower connected with the Save the Bays phoney environmental group revealed to the PLP that some $8m or so were funnelled through that organisation to destabilise the PLP as opposed to them confining themselves to their charitable objectives," Mr Mitchell said.

“The issue tied to the money is that this is how wealthy foreign money distorts information and manipulates vulnerable Bahamians during election campaigning. One of the local press has called for a Commission of Inquiry into the allegations in the writ. The PLP does not believe there is any need for such a commission. What is needed is a commission to investigate Save the Bays, Fred Smith, and the monies supplied by the Bacon interests and whether or not Save the Bays acted within the confines of its charitable mandate,” he added.