A longstanding feud between Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard and billionaire hedge fund manager Louis Bacon has finally come to a head with a $203 million defamation payout.

The feud between the two men began in 2009 when Bacon bought property next to Nygard’s estate in the exclusive gated community of Lyford Cay in the Bahamas. Since then, the two men have been embroiled in a bitter dispute over property boundaries, environmental concerns, and other issues.

In 2015, Bacon filed a lawsuit against Nygard, alleging that he had orchestrated a malicious campaign of defamation against him. Bacon claimed that Nygard had spread false and defamatory information about him to residents of the community, as well as to the media and government officials.

The case went to trial in 2020, and in February 2021, a judge in the Bahamas ruled in Bacon’s favor, awarding him $50 million in damages. The judge also ordered Nygard to pay an additional $153 million in punitive damages, citing the “egregious and reprehensible” nature of Nygard’s conduct.

The ruling was a major victory for Bacon, who had been fighting Nygard for more than a decade. In a statement, Bacon’s attorney said that the verdict “brings to an end a long and difficult chapter in Mr. Bacon’s life.”

Nygard, who is currently facing separate criminal charges in the United States related to allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering, has denied any wrongdoing in the defamation case. His attorneys have said that they plan to appeal the ruling.

The Nygard vs Bacon case has attracted widespread attention not only for the high-profile individuals involved, but also for its implications for freedom of speech and the power of wealthy individuals to use the legal system to silence their critics. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of journalistic ethics and the need for reporters to verify information and uncover sources in order to deliver accurate reporting.