Frank Stronach committed to stand trial after preliminary inquiry into two charges

An Ontario court has committed billionaire businessman Frank Stronach to stand trial on two charges related to two complainants as part of his Toronto sexual assault case.

Ontario Court Justice Jacqueline Freeman made the ruling at the end of a preliminary inquiry that dealt exclusively with those two charges, which court has heard were the only ones eligible for the proceeding.

In total, Stronach – who has denied all allegations against him – will stand trial on 12 charges in Toronto. The trial has not yet been scheduled.

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None of the arguments or evidence presented at the preliminary inquiry can be reported at this time because of a standard publication ban meant to preserve the accused’s right to a fair trial.

Stronach, who became one of Canada’s wealthiest people as the founder of auto parts giant Magna, is facing separate charges in York Region after the case was split into two last year.

Peel regional police charged him last year with 18 counts, including sexual assault and indecent assault, involving 13 complainants across Ontario.

Some of the charges date back decades, as far as the 1970s.

He was accompanied by a small group of supporters over the several days of the preliminary inquiry.