Peter Nygard Abuse Case

Our team of attorneys is currently investigating claims of sex trafficking and abuse by Peter J. Nygard. The wealthy fashion mogul and well-connected Canadian businessman has been accused of sexually assaulting dozens of women and children.

Peter Nygard Charged with Federal Sex-Trafficking

On November 23, 2020, Peter Nygard was charged with nine counts of sex trafficking, racketeering, and related sex crimes in the Southern District of New York. According to the criminal charges, Nygard forcibly sexually assaulted, drugged, and coerced victims “into sexual contact,” said the indictment, after often leveraging the guise of jobs in the modeling and fashion industry to “lure victims into Nygard’s orbit and keep them there.” Nygard’s alleged actions took place in the United States, the Bahamas, and Canada, the indictment states.

Peter Nygard and his companies have also been hit with a class action lawsuit accusing Nygard of sexually assaulting and trafficking at least 57 women, some of whom were younger than 18 at the time they were allegedly assaulted. According to the lawsuit (Jane Does Nos. 1-57 v. Peter J. Nygard, et. al., No. 20-cv-01288 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 13, 2020) filed in the Southern District of New York, Nygard “recruited, lured and enticed young, impressionable and often impoverished children and women, with cash payments and false promises of lucrative modelling opportunities to assault, rape and sodomize them.”

The lawsuit alleges that defendants engaged in a decades long sex trafficking scheme, which involved luring and coercing vulnerable underaged girls and women into commercial sex acts in exchange for money, promises of modeling opportunities, promises of career advancement, or continued employment through the use of alcohol, drugs, force, fraud, and other forms of coercion. The Nygard corporate entities are also named as defendants in the complaint based on allegations that the entities and upper-level employees financed, facilitated, and covered up the abuse.

Recoverable Compensation in a Sex Trafficking Lawsuit

Trafficking is not about moving people from one place to another. The essence of human trafficking is coercion, not movement. Commercial sex involving an adult is human trafficking if the person providing commercial sex is doing so against his or her will as a result of force, fraud, or coercion. Traffickers commonly use psychological means such as, tricking, defrauding, manipulating, or threatening victims into providing commercial sex. All commercial sex involving a minor is legally considered human trafficking.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (“TVRPA”) of 2003 created a federal law that allows survivors to recover actual damages, punitive damages, and reasonable attorney’s fees. Each state has its own trafficking statutes. States vary on the amount and types of damages that can be awarded as well as on the statute of limitations for bringing a case.

Depending on the state law, survivors may be able to seek:

• Compensatory damages
• Injunctive relief
• Attorney’s fees
• Punitive damages
• Treble damages, if defendant’s actions were willful or malicious

In addition to compensation, a civil case can be an effective way for the survivor to seek justice and reclaim control from the trafficker. If a criminal case is not brought or successful, then the civil case may be the only way a trafficker is held accountable for harm caused.

CALL TODAY! If you are a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of Peter Nygard, please call ASK LLP at (877) RING ASK (877-746-4275) to discuss your potential claim.

Why You Should Choose ASK LLP

You do not need to suffer in silence any longer. ASK LLP is here to ensure that your voice is heard. As experienced sexual abuse attorneys, our goal is to put an end to human trafficking and hold wrongdoers accountable for their horrific crimes. We can explain the formal, legal measures you can take to secure justice and protect others from future harm. If you are a survivor, we are here to help. If you hire us, know that we will fight tirelessly to get you the best possible result.

Are you a survivor of sexual assault, sex trafficking, and/or sexual abuse by Peter Nygard?

Call ASK LLP today at:
(877) RING ASK / (877-746-4275) for a free case evaluation.