Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries faces charges of sex trafficking

WARNING: This story may concern those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has.

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, his partner and a third man were arrested Tuesday on charges of luring men to sex parties around the world, sometimes in exchange for an offer to model for a clothing store.

Jeffries, partner Matthew Smith and their employee James Jacobson “operated an international sex trafficking and prostitution business” from 2008 to 2015, using Jeffries’ status, wealth and database of domestic workers to fulfill the couples’ sexual desires — and keep it secret, according to a lawsuit filed in federal court in Brooklyn.

“For anyone who thinks they can exploit and coerce others using the so-called casting couch system, this case should be a warning – be prepared to trade that couch for a night in federal prison,” said Brooklyn-based US Attorney Breon Peace. at the press conference.

“Sexually exploiting vulnerable people is a crime. And doing so by hanging the dreams of the future on fashion and modeling is not the same,” he added. James Dennehy, assistant director of the FBI’s New York office, called the allegations “abhorrent.”

They follow and sometimes echo allegations of sexual misconduct made in public and media lawsuits by young people who say Jeffries lured them with promises of modeling and pressured them into sexual acts.

Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, and Smith’s attorneys, Joseph Nascimento and David Raben, said via email that they will respond to the allegations in court.

Messages seeking comment were sent to Jacobson’s attorney. Jacobson has previously stated that he was not involved in or aware of any coercive, manipulative or coercive conduct.

All three defendants were expected Tuesday in separate courts – Jeffries and Smith in Florida, where they were taken into custody, and Jacobson in St. Paul, Minn., after his arrest in Wisconsin.

All three are facing sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges involving 15 unnamed accusers.

Dozens of men were forced into sexual acts, the lawsuits say

According to the lawsuit, they paid dozens of men to travel to the US and other countries to have sex with other men in New York and hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts between 2008 and 2015. The sometimes graphic claim describes sex bacchanals where hired men are given drugs, lubricants, condoms, clothing, sex toys, and sometimes, erectile injections that cause painful reactions, which last for hours.

The men were not informed of everything that would include unexpected sexual incidents, they had to discard their clothes and cell phones during gatherings and sign non-disclosure agreements. after that, the indictment said.

The defendants led the men to believe that attending the events would help their careers, including their chances of landing Abercrombie modeling gigs — or that not attending would hurt their chances, the lawsuit said. It says that sometimes men get a program like the one often sent to models for photo shoots, leaving men in the dark about what they’re signing up for.

Jeffries and Smith hired Jacobson to recruit and hire men, who had to “test” by sleeping with Jacobson first, according to the lawsuit. It says other house staff, who have not been named, also helped facilitate the events, including acting as security and providing alcohol, muscle relaxants, Viagra and other items. Peace described them as “undercover agents” hired specifically for these events, and added that millions of dollars were spent throughout the company, including hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for commercial sex.

The defendants “used force, fraud and coercion to traffic these men for sex,” Peace said.

The men committed sexual acts without consent, and when witnesses threatened to reveal what was happening, Jeffries and Smith used a security company to monitor them and intimidate them into silence, according to a letter prosecutors filed in court.

Peace said at a news conference that prosecutors have “a lot of evidence,” including travel records, financial documents and testimony from accusers and witnesses.

Jeffries became CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch in 1992 and left in 2014. The New Albany, Ohio-based company, which includes Hollister and other brands, declined to comment on his arrest.

Prosecutors did not say whether company resources or assets were used in the alleged sex scheme.

Allegations began to appear in media reports

Abercrombie last year said it had hired an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation after the BBC reported on similar allegations by a dozen men.

Presenting Tuesday’s report, Peace said the investigators first noticed the situation because of media reports.

A lawsuit filed in New York last year accused Abercrombie of allowing Jeffries to run the sex business during his 22-year tenure. It says Jeffries has modeling scouts who look for victims online, and that some models may be victims of sex trafficking. At the time, Bieber refused to comment on the allegations.

Prosecutors believe there may be other victims beyond the 15 charged in the indicted cases, saying the investigation is still ongoing.

Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson will travel to New York in the next few weeks to be arraigned after their initial court appearances, Peace said. Prosecutors are seeking “substantial” bail for Jeffries and Jacobson, and are seeking the arrest of Smith, who has dual US and UK citizenship.

Jeffries caused controversy during his run as CEO of Abercrombie

Abercrombie & Fitch traces its roots to a hunting and outdoor clothing store founded in 1892. By the time Jeffries arrived a hundred years later, the product was being sold again.

He was credited with turning it into a turn-of-the-millennium mall darling, known for its nouveau-preppy aesthetic — as well as its eye-catching ads and in-store events featuring shirtless, muscular male models.

Jeffries spoke openly about how the company went after attractive children who could fit into its clothes, a statement that confused many customers. The 2008 financial crisis and the subsequent recession caused some young people to look to less expensive “fast fashion” chains. A&F’s popularity began to fade. When Jeffries left, the company’s sales were declining, and a hedge fund had pushed the board to replace him.

A few months later, the retailer announced it would stop using “sexual” images in marketing materials in its stores, calling store employees “models” and requiring them to adhere to an “appearance policy.” The company told district administration that it will not “tolerate discrimination based on body type or physical appearance.”

The company has also grown in recent years.