Frank Stronach’s lawyers argue abuse of process in preparing complainants

By Canadian Press on April 9, 2026.

TORONTO — Lawyers for Canadian auto parts magnate Frank Stronach argue prosecutors and police were “unacceptably negligent” in capturing what went on during meetings to prepare complainants for his sexual assault trial.

Defence lawyers have brought an abuse of process motion in the final stretch of legal submissions at the businessman’s Toronto trial, arguing important pieces of evidence were irretrievably lost because police officers and Crown attorneys who were present failed to document the meetings in detail.

All seven of the original complainants recorded new police statements containing new information after their final meetings with prosecutors in January, just weeks before the trial was set to start, court heard.

Defence lawyer Leora Shemesh argued Thursday that for all but one meeting, police didn’t chronicle how the new evidence first arose or what the Crown said, making it impossible to challenge the complainants on those conversations in cross-examination.

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.

At the outset of the trial, Shemesh said the motion would include allegations that some of the complainants were coached by prosecutors before trial, but the defence lawyer did not raise that argument Thursday.

Instead, she suggested new memories emerged as prosecutors asked each complainant “probing questions” about their account, which police had not done during their investigation.

Stronach, who is 93, 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 abuse of process motion largely focuses on the remaining three complainants.

The trial is being heard by a judge alone and a date for the ruling has not yet been set.

Stronach, 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