Billionaire Frank Stronach faces further sexual assault charges in Canada

TORONTO – Austrian-Canadian auto parts billionaire Frank Stronach was arrested again Wednesday and faces additional charges of sexual assault, police said.

Peel Regional Police Detective Tyler Bell-Morena said investigators have identified additional victims and eight new charges will be filed against Stronach, 91, including six counts of sexual assault.

Earlier this month, Stronach was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting three separate female complainants in alleged incidents in Toronto and Aurora, Ontario. Those alleged incidents occurred in 1980, 1986 and last year.

Police released few details about the other charges.

“Mr. Stronach denies these additional, unproven allegations dating back to 1977 and will defend them vigorously,” Brian Greenspan, Stronach’s lawyer, said in an emailed statement Wednesday. “He has dedicated his life to the betterment of Canadian society and industry.”

Austrian-born Stronach became one of Canada’s richest people by founding Magna in his garage in 1957 and building it into one of the world’s largest auto parts suppliers.

He also founded the Stronach Group, a company specializing in horse racing. Over a decade ago, he took a brief foray into Austrian politics and was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honors.

According to Magna, Stronach has not been associated with the company since he gave up control in 2010.

In 2018, Stronach sued his daughter, two grandchildren and former business partner Alon Ossip in Ontario Superior Court for over $500 million, accusing them of mismanaging the family fortune, over which he sought to regain control.

Belinda Stronach, a former Canadian member of parliament, filed a countersuit against her father, saying in her statement of defense that he lost enormous sums of money on pet projects.

The case was later settled.