Fashion Mogul Fights Sex Charges From Within Prison — Using a Cell Phone and TV

Fashion mogul Peter Nygard, who is fighting extradition from Canada to the U.S. on sex-trafficking charges, has a TV and phone in his jail cell and two mattresses that allow him to sleep at his preferred angle, the Canadian government said.

The conditions of Nygard’s detention were detailed in a government filing in response to his appeal of a Winnipeg court’s earlier denial of his bail request. He was arrested late last year at the request of U.S. prosecutors in New York who accuse him of using the resources and employees of his clothing company, Nygard International, to force dozens of women and minors in three countries to have sex with him and his friends.

Nygard, 79, has denied the charges. His application for bail was denied in February by a judge who cited concerns that he might try to contact witnesses, the opacity of his financial situation and his history of failing to abide by court orders.

On Thursday, Nygard attended a hearing on his appeal via phone from Headingley Correctional Centre outside Winnipeg, where he has been held since December. According to a government filing, he is arguing that Justice Shawn Greenberg inappropriately considered evidence from U.S. prosecutors in deciding not to grant him bail. He also claims she didn’t properly consider the hazard he faces from Covid-19 while incarcerated.

Nygard’s lawyer didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Protective Custody

According to a March 12 affidavit submitted by Todd Schreyer, assistant superintendent of security at Headingley, Nygard is under protective custody with limited contact with other inmates. He lives alone in a cell designed for three inmates which has both a television and a phone which he is allowed to use 16 hours of the day. Schreyer said no other cell in the facility had similar phone access.

Nygard also has the use of two mattresses to sleep at a 45-degree angle, which he claims helps with back and sleep issues. He bathes in the jail’s medical unit, where he makes use of a walk-in style tub to accommodate his limited mobility and has been given vegan and diabetic meals. Schreyer said Nygard in January denied an offer to move to a specialized protective custody unit.

By Marcy Nicholson