By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
CANADIAN fashion mogul Peter Nygard has consented to be extradited to The United States to face charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering, a court heard on Friday.
The revelation was made during a hearing before Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal.
Scott Farlinger, a lawyer for the Attorney General of Canada, told the court that Nygard signed a consent form on Thursday agreeing to be extradited in the US, which was later confirmed by Mr Nygard's attorney Brian Greenspan.
However, the crown attorney explained that Mr Nygard’s consent does not signal an end of the extradition process as the justice minister still has to decide whether he should be handed over to US authorities.
Therefore, Nygard will not be immediately transferred to the US.
During the hearing, Mr Greenspan told the court that despite Mr Nygard’s consent to extradition, he still “unequivocally” maintains his innocence.
The defense attorney also clarified to the court that the consent form was signed based on one single charge of sex trafficking.
“The other allegations in the United States are not subject to this traditional filter, are not subject to the screening process, are not subject to challenge before the court at this time,” Mr Greenspan told the court Friday.
“Only the single count upon which with some reluctance that we agreed based on the very low threshold of evidence necessary to justify committal of extradition, that threshold has been met in the record of the case and is sufficient to require or agree to the consent committal on that one count.”
“…The next phase, the surrender phase – which is ministerial –there will be submissions made to the minister. There will be extensive submissions made in which both fairness in our respectful submission will dictate the limitation of the surrender to the one charge upon which he delegated the international assistance group to proceed and that is on the basis on the one offence.”
Nygard was charged in December 2020 with sex trafficking and racketeering offences that arose out of what lawyers called “a decades-long pattern of criminal conduct involving at least dozens of victims in the United States, the Bahamas and Canada, among other locations.”
Since then, Nygard, 80, has been imprisoned in Headingley Correctional Centre in Canada. Despite several attempts, he has failed to secure bail.
During Friday’s proceedings, Nygard, who appeared in court virtually, acknowledged signing the extradition consent form on Thursday and also confirmed that he was aware of what he had consented to.
Chief Justice Joyal told Nygard he cannot be transferred to the United States for at least 30-days, but can appeal the order.
Nygard was also told he has the right to apply for bail pending the federal justice minister's decision on extradition.
According to international reports, Nygard’s request for extradition came as police in Toronto announced plans to charge him with multiple counts of sexual assault.
The incidents are alleged to have occurred in the late 1980s and mid-2000s.
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