Police have arrested a 91-year-old Austrian auto parts billionaire from Canada on sexual assault charges, and there is more than one accuser in the case.
According to Peel Regional Police, Frank Stronach was charged on Friday with five crimes, including rape, indecent assault on a woman, sexual assault, and forcible confinement, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Saturday.
91-year-old Canadian auto parts billionaire Frank Stronach has been arrested on sexual assault charges. pic.twitter.com/Yq4XrSSQdb
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) June 8, 2024
However, officials released Stronach on the condition that he will appear in court at a later date. There is reportedly more than one accuser, but Constable Tyler Bell of Peel Regional Police did not reveal the number. The outlet continued:
“Obviously, this is a high-profile case. Our special victims unit is bound to protect the victims and in doing so that’s why were are being vague,” Bell said. “There is more than one victim but we won’t confirm that number yet.”
…
Stronach, born in Austria, became one of Canada’s wealthiest people by creating Magna in his garage in 1957 and building it into one of the world’s largest suppliers of auto parts.
He also founded The Stronach Group, a company specializing in horse racing. He made a brief foray into Austrian politics more than a decade ago and has been named to the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honors.
Law enforcement explained that the alleged incidents date as far back as the 1980s and as recently as 2023, per the Toronto Star.
Criminal defense lawyer Brian Greenspan, who will represent Stronach, said his client has denied the allegations leveled against him.
“He looks forward to the opportunity to fully respond to the charges and to maintain his legacy, both as a philanthropist and as an icon of the Canadian business community,” Greenspan stated.
A spokesperson for Magna told CBC News that the company has no knowledge of the investigation or the allegations against Stronach, noting that his daughter is the leader of the Stronach Group.
The timeline of the alleged events does not pose a problem in the case, criminal lawyer Christopher Hicks told CTV News:
“We do not have a statute of limitations in Canada the way they have in the states. So, going back five, ten, 15, 20 years is not a problem,” he explained.
