Peter Nygard's extradition hearing on U.S. sex charges set for November

Peter Nygard will face extradition proceedings starting Nov. 15, 11 months after he was arrested in Winnipeg onanine-countindictment in the United States on charges of racketeering, sex traffickingand related crimes.

The charges relateto "adecades-long pattern of criminal conduct involving at least dozens of victims in the United States, the Bahamas, and Canada, among other locations," according to theU.S. Attorney's Office for theSouthern District of New York.

Nygard has remained behind bars since his arrest last winter after his bail applicationwas denied and anappeal was dismissed.

B.C. extradition lawyerGary Bottingsays the attorney general will present the record of the casebased on materials from the prosecutor in the United States to show thatthe evidence is sufficient to warrant bringing charges in Canada if those actions had happened in Canada.

"The judge just simply has to think whether or not the conduct of Mr. Nygard in the United States would have amounted to criminal charges here in Canada. And if so, then then extradition must follow," said Botting.

• Peter Nygard arrested, faces extradition to U.S. on sex assault, racketeering charges

Bottingsays it could take up to three years before Nygard exhausts all avenues of appeal, should a Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench justice rulein favour of extraditing him.

Besides appealing any decision to higher courts, Nygard has the right to make submissions to the federal justice minister to argue he should not be surrendered for humanitarian, constitutional or other reasons.

The case is scheduled for five days in Manitoba's Court of Queen's Bench.

None of the charges against Nygard have been proven in court.