Nygard lawyer issues public apology to alleged 1979 rape victim

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This article was published 10/01/2021 (1348 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg lawyer Jay Prober has issued a written apology to a woman who has accused fashion magnate Peter Nygard of sexually assaulting her four decades ago, saying he did not mean to include her in a group of accusers he alleges are trying to cash in on the sexual abuse claims swirling around Nygard.

KC Allan, 58, filed a complaint with the Law Society of Manitoba following Prober’s comments last year and threatened to sue him for defamation.

Allan, who now lives in the U.S., alleges Nygard raped her in 1979, when she was 17, after the two met at an Exchange District nightclub.

Prober, in a letter of apology shared by his lawyer Monday, said he wasn’t aware of Allan when, last February, he was quoted in the Free Press as saying, “A lot of people see dollar signs and they are jumping on the bandwagon.”

In another Free Press interview April 21, Prober said: “And, as I predicted before, more women are jumping on what they perceived to be the money train, the gravy train. They see this as a cash cow.”

Prober made similar comments to CBC.

“At the time of the comments… I was not aware of, nor even knew of the existence of Ms Allan. I am truly sorry that she felt that the comments I made were related to her, when they were not, and for that I sincerely and publicly apologize,” Prober wrote in his apology.

Nygard, 79, is facing possible extradition to the U.S. on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He remains in custody. A bail hearing is set for Jan. 19.

— Staff