TORONTO — Lawyers for Canadian auto parts magnate Frank Stronach are expected to argue today that some of the complainants in his sexual assault case were coached by prosecutors before trial.
Defence lawyers are set to bring an abuse of process motion before the court in the final stretch of legal submissions at the businessman’s Toronto trial.
The defence initially said it would seek a stay of proceedings but last week indicated that was no longer the case, suggesting the alleged abuse of process should instead be considered in weighing the Crown’s evidence.
The trial is being heard by a judge alone and a date for the ruling has not yet been set.
Stronach, who is 93, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges stemming from alleged incidents that took place decades ago involving seven complainants
As the trial went on, prosecutors withdrew five charges related to three of the women, leaving Stronach with seven charges related to four women.
Last week, the judge presiding over the case said she “couldn’t possibly” convict the businessman based on the evidence of one of the remaining complainants, whose testimony she deemed unreliable.
Two of the charges are related to that complainant, who alleged Stronach raped her in the early 1980s.
The founder of the auto parts manufacturer Magna International is also set to face trial in nearby Newmarket, Ont., later this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2026.
The Canadian Press
