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Billionaire businessman Frank Stronach, who is awaiting trial on more than a dozen charges related to sexual assault, is now also facing a civil lawsuit from a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her decades ago when she was a student sponsored by Magna, the auto parts company he founded.
In a statement of claim filed in June, Jane Boon alleges Stronach sexually assaulted her at a company guest house in December 1986 after plying her with alcohol during a corporate party at a Toronto restaurant he owned.
She also alleges Magna knew Stronach, who was the company’s controlling shareholder and director at the time, posed a risk to female students receiving sponsorship and took no steps to warn or protect her or others like her.
The allegations have not been tested in court and neither Stronach nor Magna have filed a statement of defence at this time.
Stronach’s civil lawyer, Sarit Batner, says he “strenuously denies the allegations and will vigorously defend this lawsuit.” Magna declined to comment, citing the ongoing legal claim.
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The 92-year-old tycoon was charged last year with 18 counts – including sexual assault and indecent assault – related to 13 complainants, with some allegations dating back to the 1970s.
He’s expected to face trial on 12 of the counts in Toronto early next year, and has pleaded not guilty in that case. Another trial is set to take place later in Newmarket on the remaining counts.
Stronach has denied all allegations against him.
Boon is not among the complainants in the criminal cases, none of whom can be identified due to a standard publication ban.
Boon alleges in the lawsuit that she was sexually assaulted by Stronach after attending Magna’s annual shareholder meeting in December 1986, followed by a corporate after-party that evening at a Toronto restaurant he owned.
She claims Stronach seated her next to him at the dinner table, where the restaurant’s maître d’ topped up wine glasses “frequently,” and he pulled her onto the dance floor at one point.
The lawsuit says Boon, who was working in Guelph, Ont., at the time, declined an offer to stay at the corporate guest house that night.
But when Stronach’s driver came over to the table after dessert, Boon alleges Stronach announced: “Jane has had too much to drink. She can’t go back to Guelph. I’ll drive her to the guest house and you can take her car.”
The lawsuit claims an “incredulous and uncertain” Boon left with Stronach, worried about her future and what would happen if she rebuffed him.
Stronach took her to the guest house north of Toronto, where he undressed her and had unprotected sex with her without consent, the lawsuit alleges.
“The sexual abuse and misconduct by Stronach has had significant ongoing negative consequences on Boon’s life,” the claim says.
— With files from Sonja Puzic
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