The sexual assault case of Frank Stronach is set to return to court on October 7.
Stronach was scheduled to be in a Brampton, Ont., courtroom on Monday to answer to 13 charges of sexual assault against at least 10 victims dating back almost a half-century. He was not in attendance but his lawyer appeared virtually on his behalf.
In early June police announced the auto parts billionaire was facing five charges involving three different complainants in alleged incidents that took place in Toronto and Aurora in 1980, 1986 and last year. Then on June 28, police announced eight new charges against the 91-year-old involving seven new complainants.
Court documents say Stronach is accused of attempting to have sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent and indecently assaulting her between June 1977 and January 1978.
The founder of auto parts giant Magna is also charged with sexually assaulting six other complainants in incidents that allegedly occurred in the 1980s, 1990s, early 2000s and this year.
The previously filed charges against Stronach involve allegations of rape and sexual assault against a woman in July 1980, sexual assault and forcible confinement against another woman in February 1986 and sexual assault on a third woman in April 2023.
The charges have yet to be proven in court.
Stronach’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, said his client “categorically denies” the allegations made against him and would “vigorously defend these further untested allegations dating back to 1977.”
The Austrian-Canadian founded Aurora-based auto parts giant Magna International in 1957, which employs almost 170,000 people in 29 countries. He has had no affiliation with the company since relinquishing control in 2010.
Stronach also founded The Stronach Group, a company that specializes in thoroughbred horse racing and betting, however, he has not been involved in the company’s operation for several years. His daughter, Belinda Stronach – a former member of parliament – currently leads the multinational firm.
In 2018, Frank Stronach founded Stronach International, a company focused on organic agriculture and zero-emission transportation.
Stronach is a member of the Order of Canada and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.