UMVA has learned that Frank Stronach, the founder of Magna International, has been found guilty on two of five charges by Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Friday morning.
The guilty verdicts were for indecent assault and sexual assault, with the justice delaying his sentencing until September 17. This development marks a significant turn in a trial that began in February and initially included 12 charges from seven complainants.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the indecent assault charge involved a legal secretary who claimed that Stronach assaulted her at his apartment in 1977, following a dinner date. The sexual assault charge involved a cocktail waitress who alleged that Stronach assaulted her at his Harbourfront condo sometime between 1983 and 1984.
Stronach was found not guilty on 10 other counts, including rape and sexual assault charges. The trial, which did not involve a jury since Stronach opted for a judge-alone trial, heard from four complainants, but one complainant's testimony was deemed "not even remotely reliable" by Judge Molloy.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that Stronach did not testify during the trial and had pleaded not guilty to all charges. His second sexual assault trial, set to take place in Newmarket, has been delayed until May of next year, pending the outcome of this case.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the trial's outcome was influenced by the collapse of the Crown case, with Judge Molloy expressing concerns over the reliability of some of the testimonies. This verdict brings closure to a decades-long ordeal for some of the complainants, who alleged assaults dating back to the 1970s.
The guilty verdicts against Stronach have significant implications, given his status as a prominent businessman and founder of Magna International. His sentencing on September 17 will be closely watched as it concludes a highly publicized and complex trial.
