Jeffrey
Epstein, the wealthy American financier who was arrested in 2019, on sex trafficking charges, continues to dominate headlines, even after his death in jail. And now people can't help but draw comparisons between him and Peter Nygard, a fashion mogul who was also charged for crime against women and teenage girls. And ever since then, the comparison of Peter Nygard to Jeffrey Epstein has become a recurring thing on the internet - with a media channel famously dubbing him as "Canada's Jeffrey Epstein." And why not? Both the men shared a blueprint for abuse: extreme wealth, massive tropical estates and the manipulation of power structures to maintain a sanctuary for criminal activity.
Who Was Peter Nygard?
Born Pekka Juhani Nygard in Helsinki, Finland, in 1941, Nygard's family immigrated to Canada in 1952. At the peak of his career, Nygard was a fixture of high society. In 1967, he founded Nygard International in Winnipeg, which rose from a small sportswear manufacturer into a multi-million-dollar women's apparel empire.By the 2000s he was a well-known figure in Winnipeg, in elite social circles in the Bahamas and in fashion markets across North America. He was known for his signature long hair, flamboyant suits, and associations with celebrities and politicians. His net worth was estimated at nearly $900 million in 2020. Little did people know that beneath the veneer of the "Nygard Slims" brand and Times Square headquarters was a dark reality of systemic abuse and intimidation.
Nygard Cay And His Downfall
Nygard's downfall began in the late 2020 but the allegations against him dated back to 1960s. His son, Kai Zen Bickle, became a prominent whistleblower, stating that his father used his business talents for "evil" to prey on others.
If Epstein had his Little St. James estate, Nygard had Nygard Cay. Located at the western tip of New Providence in the Bahamas, the estate was a sprawling, $50 million compound modeled after a Mayan temple. It featured massive wooden gates, exotic animals, and "pamper parties" that served as the primary recruitment ground for his sex trafficking ring.
Investigation by the CBC and The Fifth Estate revealed that Nygard Cay was more than just a home - it was a fortress where all of Nygard's dirty work took place. Here, Nygard would reportedly host high-profile guests only to lure young and often impoverished Bahamian girls - some as young as 14.Once the crown jewel of his empire, Nygard Cay, became the centre of a bitter legal battle and was eventually seized by the Bahamian government as part of environmental and legal disputes.
Corporate Collapse
Following a FBI raid in 2020 which led to growing public scrutiny, Nygard stepped down from leadership and Nygard International later filed for bankruptcy. Towns and institutions that once celebrated him, distanced themselves; a park named for him in his childhood town had its name removed. Documentaries, podcasts and investigative pieces amplified the stories of survivors.
In a landmark trial in September 2024, Nygard was convicted of four counts of sexual assault. The court heard graphic testimony from five women (one of whom was just 16 at the time of the assault) - who described being lured to a secure, luxury bedroom suite within Nygard's Toronto headquarters. As a result, at the age of 83, Nygard was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The judge noted that Nygard used his "wealth and power" to commit the assaults and showed a total lack of empathy for his victims.He was a quintessential "success story gone wrong," as described by Justice Robert Goldstein during the sentence. At the age of 83, Nygard was sentenced to 11 years in prison. The judge noted that Nygard used his "wealth and power" to commit the assaults and showed a total lack of empathy for his victims.
Why This Comparison To Jeffrey Epstein?
The "Jeffrey Epstein 2.0" label is shorthand journalists and commentators used to convey the parallels: wealthy man, access to elite circles, private islands and jets, alleged recruitment of young women and girls, and an alleged pattern of exploiting power to facilitate sexual abuse. There is a sense of public resonance which comes from similar dynamics: money, secrecy, islands and networks that allegedly enabled abuse. As Nygard continues to serve his sentence in Canada, he also remains a symbol of how extreme wealth can be used to bypass legal systems for decades. His fashion empire has dissolved into bankruptcy and the testimony of over 100 survivors ensures that his legacy is no longer defined by clothing, but by the "systemic enterprise of cruelty" he built.
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