The Tribune

“The intended appeal application arises out of a torturous legal battle which has probably contributed considerably to the deforestation of the planet.”

So wrote the Court of Appeal just a few short weeks ago as it ruled on yet another legal matter brought by Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard.

Sadly, it appears, this deforestation of the planet is about to pick up speed.

After countless defeats in courts here, the United States and Canada it transpires – according to Mr Nygard – that he is the victim of a massive international conspiracy orchestrated by his arch enemies Louise Bacon and Fred Smith, QC.

He is the victim it seems. Not the young girls and women who have made serious allegations against him.

Now, on the point of publishing the results of a nine-month long investigation, the New York Times – which lives or dies on its reputation – is allegedly among those who have been recruited to Bacon’s sinister conspiracy.

So should we give any ounce of credibility to what Nygard is claiming?

Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves.

He has four contempt of court orders against him, has fought every single one of them until the point he had nowhere else to turn so packed up his bags and fled back to Canada. Sure enough a medical certificate duly arrived to say he would be unable to attend court for sentence.

Seems even with all his millions he can’t find a specialist to get him back on his feet and back to Nassau for sentencing. He’s actually due in court today but we’re not holding our breath that he’ll actually turn up.

For the record we asked Fred Smith - the wicked spin master dancing to Bacon’s bidding according to Nygard - whether he has paid anyone to make up stories or lie about Nygard.

His response: I paid no money to anyone to lie about Nygard. There are the women’s stories, saying pretty much the same thing - and Fred believes them.

Nygard, of course, has limitless funds and there are plenty of people eager to do his bidding for a slice of his grubby cash.

Remember these stories. All facts accepted by the courts despite Nygard insisting he was the victim, not his accusers.

Wendell Jones - found to be in contempt of court in a case concerning a smear campaign against Louis Bacon.

Likewise with Sherman Brown.

“I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Brown knowingly and deliberately made false statements before the Deputy Registrar and he knew and intended that, by lying in a court of law, he would impede and interfere with the proper administration of justice. Consequently, I find Mr. Brown to be in contumacious contempt of court,” the court stated.

In a case involving Nygard’s acquisition of Nancy Ebker’s sportswear brand a 12-year court battle ensued at the conclusion of which Judge Irving Cooper found that: “In contrast with the candid and credible testimony of Ebker […] Nygard’s demeanour on the witness stand was evasive and insincere, and he contradicted himself on numerous occasions throughout the course of his testimony.

“... We unhesitatingly find the testimony of Nygard utterly lacking in credibility, and we reject his testimony insofar as it contradicts that of plaintiff.”

Dana Neal and Pat Prowse worked in Nygard’s human resources department. Both publicly came forward with their experiences of working for him and he subsequently sued them for breach of confidentiality.

“Dana Neal was quoted as saying: “I think they will do everything and anything in their power to discredit and hurt me and I think that those mechanisms are well underway.”

And who can forget Livingston “Toggi” Bullard and Wisler “Bobo” Davilma and the murder-for-hire plot.

Bobo and Toggi admitted setting fire to a business in Wulff Road, which was owned by a former girlfriend of Nygard who had threatened to accuse Nygard of rape and take part in a blackmail scheme. The attack was a means of both punishing and intimidating against future actions. The fact of the fire is corroborated by a contemporary Royal Bahamian Police report of the incident.

In a sworn statement Bobo stated: “So he said that she was going to risk a f*cking warning. You know what I mean? And he even made a call to try to talk to her. And Sam and another girl, I can’t remember the other girl’s name.”

“... And he told us that he wanted to hurt her by any means necessary. Like that she had opened a business so you fucking gonna do it. so it was done.”…

Interviewer: “What did Nygard pay you for the arson?”

Bobo: “I don’t remember if it’s 10 or 20. I think its 10”.

Interviewer: “10 each?”

Bobo: “Right”

Bobo and Toggi further admitted to intimidating Michael Majors, over permits that Nygard wanted for his property development. They visited Majors at his office in the administrative planning department, threw his desk over and threatened to harm him if he did not start acting in Nygard’s favour. In a sworn statement Bobo recalled: “He said Michael Major was being a pain in the fucking ass. That’s his favourite word. He said Michael Major is holding back some documents.

“ [Nygard told us to] “go pay him a visit and threaten him.

“... So we did that. Tell him that if he don’t stop doing what he doing we break you’re f*cking leg and hand.”

A similar threat was made by Bobo and Toggi to Pericles Maillis. They planned to ‘bump’ Maillis’ car and ‘deal with him’ when he got out. When this strategy was unsuccessful, Nygard was angry at their failure and refused to pay them. He did not attempt to recover $10k of upfront costs that he had given them to purchase hand guns. In a final bid to succeed, Bobo and Toggi started to follow Maillis’ sister, looking to threaten or harm her instead. This plot was also unsuccessful.

In a sworn statement they were asked: “And what did Nygard say he was going to pay you if you killed Pericles Maillis?”

Bobo: “Huge sums of money.”

Finally, Bobo and Toggi admitted burning Rev. CB Moss’s car to ‘send him a message’ from Nygard.

Toggi: “He told us CB Moss is a serious pain in his ass and he needs his mouth to shut up… We was waiting for him to come outside so we could burst some gunshot at him.”

Interviewer: “Fire some gunshots at him? … Not necessarily hit him but just scare him?”

Toggi: “Yeah, scare him, yeah – so we just burn down his car”

So you can see from just these few examples Mr Nygard - and those around him - have a problem with recalling events as they actually happened.

Thankfully the lawyers, journalists and victims when they are able to get to the witness stand give their version of events.

Who would you believe?