History of Peter Nygård in Timeline
Peter J. Nygård is a Finnish-Canadian businessman and former fashion executive who founded Nygård International in 1967. The company, initially a sportswear manufacturer, later expanded to produce women's apparel. He was ranked as the 70th richest Canadian by Canadian Business Magazine in 2009, with a net worth of C$817 million, which grew to an estimated C$900 million by 2017.
July 1941: Birth of Peter Nygård
Peter J. Nygård was born Pekka Juhani Nygård in Helsinki, Finland in July 1941.
1952: Nygård Family Immigrates to Canada
Peter Nygård's parents immigrated to Deloraine, Manitoba, Canada in 1952 when he was around eleven years old.
1964: Nygård Graduates from University of North Dakota
Peter Nygård graduated from the University of North Dakota with a business degree in 1964.
1967: Nygård International Founded
Peter Nygård founded Nygård International in Winnipeg in 1967. The company started as a sportswear manufacturer.
1968: First Accusations of Sexual Misconduct
The earliest accusations of sexual misconduct against Peter Nygård date back to 1968.
1978: Nygård's Business Acquisition Leads to Legal Battle
Peter Nygård's takeover of a sportswear designer's business in New York City in 1978 resulted in a 12-year legal battle in a New York federal court.
1984: Purchase of Beach Bungalow
In 1984, Peter Nyg\u00e5rd bought a beach bungalow for \$1.76 million.
1987: Construction of Nyg\u00e5rd Cay
Peter Nyg\u00e5rd completed the construction of a sprawling 14,000-square-meter compound, known as Nyg\u00e5rd Cay, in Lyford Cay, Bahamas in 1987.
2002: Park Dedication in Deloraine
In 2002, a park in Deloraine, Manitoba, where Peter Nyg\u00e5rd was raised, was named in his honor, and a commemorative plaque was installed.
2003: Lawsuit by American Couple
Peter Nyg\u00e5rd faced a lawsuit in Florida in 2003 filed by an American couple who alleged that he had misled them into taking on management positions at his Bahamas estate.
2005: Parking Dispute with Louis Bacon
In 2005, Peter Nyg\u00e5rd's attempt to address parking issues at Nyg\u00e5rd Cay by placing a concrete slab on Louis Bacon's property led to a court injunction.
2005: Last Known Sexual Assault by Nygård
The latest known sexual assault charges against Peter Nygård date back to 2005.
2007: Escalation of Dispute with Louis Bacon
The conflict between Peter Nyg\u00e5rd and Louis Bacon escalated in 2007 with the installation of loudspeakers by Bacon, directed at Nyg\u00e5rd's property. This marked the beginning of a series of legal battles.
2007: Settlement of Lawsuit
The lawsuit brought by the American couple against Peter Nyg\u00e5rd was resolved in 2007.
November 2009: Nygård Opens Retail Store in Times Square
Peter Nygård's fashion concept retail store opened in Times Square, New York City on November 6, 2009.
2009: Nygård Ranked Among Richest Canadians
Canadian Business Magazine ranked Nygård as the 70th richest Canadian with a net worth of C$817 million in 2009.
April 2010: Planned Renovation of Nyg\u00e5rd Cay
Peter Nyg\u00e5rd unveiled plans in April 2010 for a \$50 million renovation project for Nyg\u00e5rd Cay, aiming to repair damage and provide employment.
June 2010: Sponsorship of Bahamian Boxing Team
In June 2010, Peter Nyg\u00e5rd served as the primary sponsor for the Amateur Boxing Federation of the Bahamas team during their participation in the Continental Elite Boxing Championships in Quito, Ecuador.
2010: Police Raid on Bacon's Property
In the summer of 2010, Bahamian police raided Louis Bacon's property and confiscated the loudspeakers. Bacon accused Nyg\u00e5rd of orchestrating the raid, a claim Nyg\u00e5rd denied.
2012: Receipt of Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
Peter Nyg\u00e5rd received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
January 2015: Bacon's Defamation Lawsuit
Louis Bacon filed a defamation lawsuit against Peter Nyg\u00e5rd in January 2015, alleging that Nyg\u00e5rd had used fake news websites to spread defamatory information about him.
2015: FBI Investigates Nygård for Sex Trafficking
Peter Nygård was investigated by the FBI regarding claims of sex trafficking in 2015.
2016: Department of Homeland Security Investigates Nygård
The United States Department of Homeland Security investigated Peter Nygård for nine months in 2016.
2017: Nygård's Net Worth Estimated at C$900 Million
In 2017, Peter Nygård's net worth was estimated to be C$900 million.
2017: Retirement of Private Jet
Peter Nyg\u00e5rd ceased using his Boeing 727-100 private jet, known as N-Force, in 2017 because of high maintenance expenses, and it was later dismantled in Brunswick, Georgia.
2017: FBI Investigates Nygård for Sex Trafficking (Second Time)
The FBI conducted another investigation into Peter Nygård related to sex trafficking claims in 2017.
September 2018: Seizure of Nyg\u00e5rd Cay
The Supreme Court of the Bahamas seized Nyg\u00e5rd Cay in September 2018 as part of the legal battle over Nyg\u00e5rd's dredging activities near the property.
September 2019: Nyg\u00e5rd's Lawsuit Against New York Times Reporters
Peter Nyg\u00e5rd initiated legal action against two New York Times reporters in September 2019, asserting that they had attempted to manipulate sources and portray him negatively.
November 2019: Bahamian Police Investigate Sexual Assault Allegations Against Nygård
Bahamian police launched an investigation into six allegations of sexual assault against Peter Nygård in November 2019. The alleged victims were all reportedly under 16 at the time of the alleged assaults.
2019: Warrant Issued for Nyg\u00e5rd's Arrest
A warrant for Peter Nyg\u00e5rd's arrest was issued in 2019 due to his repeated failure to attend a court hearing in the Bahamas related to contempt-of-court charges.
January 2020: Nygård Faces Sexual Assault Lawsuits
Peter Nygård was hit with two separate lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault in January 2020.
February 2020: Ten Women File Class-Action Lawsuit Against Nygård
Ten women filed a class-action lawsuit against Peter Nygård in New York in February 2020, alleging sexual assault at his Bahamas residence between 2008 and 2015. The lawsuit also alleged that he maintained a sex-trafficking network and that seven of the women were underage at the time of the alleged assaults.
February 2020: Nygård International Raided, Nygård Announces Resignation
The headquarters of Nygård International was raided in February 2020 as part of a sex trafficking investigation against Peter Ngård by the FBI. Nygård then announced he would step down from the company.
February 2020: Bahamian Police Investigate Class-Action Lawsuit Allegations, FBI Raids Nygård International Headquarters
In February 2020, Bahamian police investigated the allegations made by four women in the class-action lawsuit against Peter Nygård. On February 25, 2020, the FBI and the New York City Police Department raided the New York headquarters of Nygård International in connection with the sex trafficking claims.
March 2020: Judge Disputes Nygård's Resignation, Nygård International Files for Bankruptcy
In March 2020, a judge stated there was no evidence that Peter Nygård had resigned from Nygård International and still owned 100% of the company's shares. Subsequently, the company filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in New York on March 18, 2020, and a Manitoba judge ordered a group of Nygård companies into receivership the next day.
April 2020: 36 Women Join Class-Action Lawsuit Against Nygård
Thirty-six more women joined the class-action lawsuit against Peter Nygård in April 2020, bringing the total number of plaintiffs in the sexual assault case to 46.
May 2020: Park Renaming
Following Peter Nyg\u00e5rd's arrest and charges related to sexual assault and sex trafficking, the park in Deloraine was renamed to Prairie Sentinels Park in May 2020.
June 2020: Eleven More Women Join Class-Action Lawsuit
By June 2020, the number of women who joined the class-action lawsuit against Peter Nygård increased to 57.
July 2020: Nygård Files Motion to Dismiss Claims
Peter Nygård filed a motion to dismiss the claims of 52 plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit in July 2020, arguing "numerous deficiencies" and statute of limitations expirations.
August 2020: Nygård Sued by Sons, Class-Action Lawsuit Put on Hold
In August 2020, two of Peter Nygård's sons filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of directing a sex worker to sexually assault them. Later that month, the class-action lawsuit was put on hold at the US government's request due to the ongoing criminal investigation.
December 2020: Nygård Arrested for Extradition to the US
Peter Nygård was arrested in Winnipeg in December 2020 for extradition to the US to face sex trafficking charges by the US attorney's office in Manhattan.
December 2020: Announcement of Discovery+ Documentary
Two days following Peter Nyg\u00e5rd's arrest, Discovery+ revealed plans to release "Unseamly: The Investigation of Peter Nyg\u00e5rd," a documentary series about his life.
December 2020: Formal Charges Filed Against Nygård
Peter Nygård faced formal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, including allegations involving minors, in December 2020.
2020: FBI Raids Nygård's Offices and Nygård Steps Down
The FBI raided Peter Nygård's offices in New York City in 2020 due to accusations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and racketeering. Consequently, Nygård stepped down as chairman of Nygård International, and the company filed for bankruptcy later that year.
2020: Nygård's Estimated Net Worth Reaches $900 Million
In 2020, Peter Nygård's personal net worth was estimated at $900 million.
2020: Nygård Faced Numerous Lawsuits Prior to Arrest
Before his 2020 arrest, Peter Nygård had been involved in numerous lawsuits, including those alleging abusive labor practices and tax evasion.
January 2021: Premiere of "Evil by Design" Podcast
CBC Podcasts launched the first episode of "Evil by Design" in January 2021, a podcast examining the allegations against Peter Nyg\u00e5rd, which incorporated interviews with individuals claiming to be victims.
February 2021: New Lawsuit Names Nygård's Niece as Co-Conspirator
A new lawsuit filed in February 2021 by one of the class-action plaintiffs named Angela Dyborn, Peter Nygård's niece, as an alleged co-conspirator in the alleged sex-trafficking scheme.
February 2021: Nygård Denied Bail, Faces Extradition
Peter Nygård was denied bail and faced extradition to the United States in February 2021.
February 2021: Release of "Unseamly" Documentary
The documentary series "Unseamly: The Investigation of Peter Nyg\u00e5rd" premiered in February 2021, featuring interviews with individuals connected to Nyg\u00e5rd, including family and former employees.
March 2021: Nygård Denied Bail for a Second Time
Peter Nygård's request for bail was denied for the second time in March 2021.
April 2021: Nygård to Face Extradition Hearing
In April 2021, it was announced that Peter Nygård would face an extradition hearing in November 2021.
October 2021: Nygård Agrees to Extradition, Faces New Charges in Canada
Peter Nygård agreed to be extradited to the US in October 2021 to face the charges against him. On the same day, Toronto police charged him with six counts of sexual assault and three counts of forcible confinement.
October 2021: Nygård Charged with Sexual Assault in Canada
Canadian authorities charged Peter Nygård with multiple counts of sexual assault and forcible confinement in October 2021, for incidents alleged to have occurred between the mid-1980s and mid-2000s.
November 2021: Nygård's Extradition Hearing Scheduled
An extradition hearing for Peter Nygård was scheduled for November 2021.
December 2021: Dateline Episode on Nyg\u00e5rd Case
Dateline aired an episode in December 2021 that centered on the case of Peter Nyg\u00e5rd.
December 2021: Winnipeg Police to File Charges Against Nygård
In December 2021, news broke that Peter Nygård would face charges by Winnipeg police following a ten-month investigation into allegations of sexual assault from eight women.
2021: Deterioration of Nyg\u00e5rd Cay
By 2021, Nyg\u00e5rd Cay had fallen into a state of disrepair.
2022: Release of "Evil by Design" Documentary Series
The podcast "Evil by Design" was later developed into a documentary series titled "Evil by Design: Surviving Nyg\u00e5rd," which premiered on CBC Television in 2022.
April 2023: Demolition of Nyg\u00e5rd Cay Buildings
The Bahamian Government initiated the demolition of buildings on Nyg\u00e5rd Cay in April 2023.
May 2023: Court Victory for Louis Bacon
A New York judge ruled in favor of Louis Bacon in May 2023, awarding him over \$203 million in damages. The court found that Peter Nyg\u00e5rd had engaged in a prolonged smear campaign against Bacon.
November 2023: Nygård Convicted of Sexual Assault
A Canadian court convicted Peter Nygård on four counts of sexual assault in November 2023.
November 2023: Nygård Found Guilty of Sexual Assault in Canada
A Canadian jury in Toronto found Peter Nygård guilty of sexual assault in November 2023 after a six-week trial. The 82-year-old was convicted of assaulting four women between the late 1980s and 2005.
January 2025: Preliminary Inquiry for Charges in Montreal Scheduled
The preliminary inquiry for the charges against Peter Nygård in Montreal is scheduled for January 28, 2025.