Frank Stronach avoids jail time despite indecent assault conviction
Billionaire Magna founder, 94, will not serve time after Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy rejected Crown's six-month custodial request.
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Frank Stronach will not serve jail time after being found guilty of indecent assault, Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy ruled Thursday at a sentencing hearing. Stronach, 94, is the billionaire founder of Magna International and an Order of Canada recipient.
Molloy rejected the Crown's request for a six-month custodial sentence. "I'm not going to order custody for a man who is 94," the justice stated. Stronach's lawyer, Leora Shemesh, had requested an absolute discharge.
Stronach was found guilty of one count of indecent assault following a trial that began in February. The trial involved seven complainants alleging sexual assault between 1977 and 1990. Stronach originally faced 12 charges; one was withdrawn by the Crown, the Crown agreed he should be found not guilty on four charges, and Molloy removed two based on unreliable evidence from one complainant. Of the remaining five charges, he was found guilty of two—but a mistrial was declared on the sexual assault conviction in July after emails presented in court showed discrepancies between one complainant's criminal trial account and a separate civil complaint.
Indecent assault is a historical charge repealed from the Canadian Criminal Code in 1983; its modern equivalent is sexual assault.
The Crown also requested a DNA order and that Stronach be added to the sex offender registry. Molloy will determine sentencing conditions on Dec. 11. Stronach faces a separate sexual assault trial involving six additional complainants next year.
What specific conditions will Justice Molloy impose at the December sentencing?
Will Stronach be added to the sex offender registry despite avoiding jail?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
Who is Frank Stronach?
Frank Stronach is a 94-year-old billionaire founder of Magna International and an Order of Canada recipient.
Will Stronach serve jail time?
No. Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy rejected the Crown's request for a six-month custodial sentence, ruling on Thursday, September 17, 2026 that she would not order custody for a 94-year-old man.
How many charges did Stronach originally face?
Stronach originally faced 12 charges; the Crown withdrew one, agreed he should be found not guilty on four, and Justice Molloy removed two based on unreliable evidence, leaving five charges to be adjudicated.
