Ten women have come forward with sexual assault accusations against Canadian auto parts magnate Frank Stronach, according to court documents released Friday.
The 91-year-old was arrested twice in recent weeks and charged with 13 criminal counts including attempted rape, sexual assault, indecent assault and forcible confinement.
Both times — including on Wednesday — he was released the same day with conditions ahead of a first court appearance scheduled for July 8.
The court documents describe allegations of attempted rape and assault as far back as June 1977 in Toronto.
Other victims accused him of rape or sexual assaults in 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1999 in Toronto, and from 1999 to 2003 in Aurora, Ontario where his former company, Magna International, is headquartered.
The most recent sexual assaults are alleged to have taken place in April 2023 in Aurora, north of Toronto, and February this year in the nearby hamlet of Gormley.
Raising public awareness of sexual assault
Three women had come forward initially with accusations, followed by seven more after police announced the first round of charges in early June.
Stronach, through his lawyer Brian Greenspan, has said he “denies and will vigorously defend” himself against the untested accusations in court.
The Austrian-born rags-to-riches immigrant grew a small Canadian tool and die company into one of the world’s largest automotive parts manufacturers, Magna International.
At age 80, Stronach ceded control of the company and returned to his native Austria to run for public office, but returned to Canada a few years later after support dissipated.
AFP
