Eclipse Award-winning owner/breeder and founder of The Stronach Group Frank Stronach was arrested Friday and charged with mulitple criminal offenses according to a press release by the Peel Regional Police in Ontario, Canada. The 91-year-old Stronach has, according to the release, been charged with committing five crimes including rape, indecent assault on a female, sexual assault and forcible confinement and has been released on conditions to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date. The release also notes that the assaults “spanned from the 1980's to as recent as 2023.”
The investigation was carried out by Peel's Special Victims Unit.
Peel Regional Police Constable Tyler Bell told the Associated Press that there was more than one accuser, but did not specify how many there were. “Obviously, this is a high-profile case,” he told the A.P. “Our special victims unit is bound to protect the victims and in doing so, that's why we're being so vague. There is more than one victim, but we won't confirm the number yet.”
Police are asking members of the public to come forward with any relevant information by calling investigators of the Special Victims Unit at 905-453-2121, extension 3460.
Brian Greenspan, the lawyer representing Stronach, told Reuters that Stronach denied all charges. “He looks forward to the opportunity to fully respond to the charges and to maintain his legacy as a philanthropist and as an icon of the Canadian business community,” Greenspan told Reuters.
Stronach was born September 6, 1932 in Austria. He emigrated to Canada in 1954, and went on to found Magna International, an automotive parts company based in Canada. He founded The Stronach Group with his daughter Belinda in 2011, but resigned as a trustee in 2013 to run for office in Austria. The group owns racetracks such as Santa Anita, Gulfstream, and Pimlico, along with wagering systems. In 2018, Stonach filed a lawsuit against Belinda and other family members, charging mismanagement of the group. As part of the settlement, Belinda Stronach retained control of the racing, gaming and real estate ends of the business, since rebranded as 1/ST Racing. Frank and his wife Elfriede assumed control of the stallion and breeding business.
The Stronach Group released a statement late Friday, which read: “The Stronach Group is aware of the serious charges that have been brought against Frank Stronach. Frank Stronach has not held a formal role or been involved with company operations in any capacity for several years. This matter is now before the courts and will be dealt with in the appropriate forum. The company has nothing further to add.”
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Reached Saturday morning, a public information officer for the Peel Regional Police said, “The matter is under investigation. We do understand the significant public interest in this investigation, however, to maintain the privacy of the victims and judicial integrity, we will not be providing further information at this time.”
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