Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard has agreed to be extradited to the US to face charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
A Winnipeg courtroom on Friday received a consent form, signed in jail by Mr Nygard, agreeing to his removal.
The 80-year-old designer faces a nine-count indictment in New York over allegations he drugged and assaulted women and girls as young as 14.
He maintains his innocence and has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
His lawyer Brian Greenspan said he consented to the extradition so that he could contest the charges.
According to US authorities, the multimillionaire engaged in “a decades-long pattern of criminal conduct involving at least dozens of victims” in the US, Canada and other countries.
His December 2020 indictment by US officials in the southern district of New York alleges Mr Nygard used “force, fraud and coercion” to engage in sexual activity with adults and minors.
Officials also accused him of using his company’s influence and resources to “recruit and maintain” many more victims.
The Finnish-Canadian multimillionaire founded Nygard International, a global women’s apparel business, in the 1960s.
He stepped down as chairman last year amid investigations by the child exploitation FBI task force and New York City police. He was arrested at his Winnipeg home last December.
Lawyers for Mr Nygard have said he will not contest his surrender to the US to Canada’s federal justice minister, who must sign off on an extradition.
Glenn Joyal, chief justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench in Manitoba, told the court on Friday that the defendant will not be expelled immediately.
Based on the agreement, he is not required to surrender for at least 30 days and has the opportunity to apply for bail or make a limited appeal.
Separately, this week, police in Toronto charged Mr Nygard with six counts of sexual assault and three counts of forcible confinement, based on allegations dating back to as late as 1987.
His lawyer said it will be up to the federal justice minister to decide whether he will answer to the Canadian charges before he is sent to the US.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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