Defence continues cross-examining complainant in Stronach’s sexual assault trial

By Canadian Press on February 24, 2026.

TORONTO — A lawyer representing Frank Stronach is suggesting one of the complainants in the businessman’s sexual assault trial has a “tendency to lie” and made up parts of her account.

Leora Shemesh began cross-examining the complainant, who is the fifth to testify at trial, on Monday afternoon, focusing on discrepancies in dates and details the woman gave in her statements to police and what she said in court.

Today, the defence lawyer pressed the woman on several details that emerged for the first time in her testimony — including during cross-examination — suggesting the woman would come up with “another story” if she stayed on the stand long enough.

The complainant replied that she was telling the truth and disclosing details as she remembered them.

Stronach, who is 93, has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges related to alleged incidents spanning the 1970s to the 1990s. All seven complainants are expected to testify.

On Monday, the woman broke into tears as she told the court that Stronach raped her inside his hotel suite in the fall of 1990.

The woman said she kept saying no and asking him to stop but that he only grew more aggressive and forceful.

She said it hurt and left her bleeding because she had recently given birth, adding she had bruises inside her knees from trying to keep Stronach from prying them apart.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2026.

Paola Loriggio, The Canadian Press