Peter Nygård
Canadian-Finnish fashion executive (born 1941)
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Key Takeaways
- Nygård (born Pekka Juhani Nygård ; born 24 July 1941) is a Finnish-Canadian businessman, former fashion executive, and convicted sex offender.
- Dubbed "the Canadian Hugh Hefner", Nygård was rated the 70th richest Canadian by Canadian Business magazine in 2009, with a net worth of CA$817 million, while in 2017 his net worth was estimated to be CA$900 million.
- As a result, Nygård stepped down as chairman of Nygård International soon afterwards.
- In December 2020, Nygård was formally charged on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, including allegations of sex trafficking involving minors.
- In November 2023, a Canadian court convicted Nygård of four counts of sexual assault.
Peter J. Nygård (born Pekka Juhani Nygård; born 24 July 1941) is a Finnish-Canadian businessman, former fashion executive, and convicted sex offender. In 1967 he founded Nygård International, a Winnipeg-based company that initially was a sportswear manufacturer before producing women's apparel.
Dubbed "the Canadian Hugh Hefner", Nygård was rated the 70th richest Canadian by Canadian Business magazine in 2009, with a net worth of CA$817 million, while in 2017 his net worth was estimated to be CA$900 million.
In 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) carried out a search warrant of Nygård's offices in New York City after he was accused of sex trafficking, sexual assault and racketeering. As a result, Nygård stepped down as chairman of Nygård International soon afterwards. The company then filed for bankruptcy later that year.
In December 2020, Nygård was formally charged on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, including allegations of sex trafficking involving minors. In October 2021, he was again charged in Canada with multiple counts of sexual assault and forcible confinement in incidents that occurred between the mid-1980s and mid-2000s; accusations of sexual misconduct by Nygård date as far back as 1968. In November 2023, a Canadian court convicted Nygård of four counts of sexual assault. In September 2024, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for 4 counts of sexual assault.
Early life
Peter Nygård was born Pekka Juhani Nygård in Helsinki, Finland, on 24 July 1941. His parents immigrated to Deloraine, Manitoba, Canada, in 1952, when Nygård was around eleven years old. His father was a baker, and his mother a seamstress.
In 1964, Nygård graduated from the University of North Dakota with a business degree.
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