Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO arrested on sex trafficking charges

The ex-CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, along with his partner, has been taken into custody and faces charges related to operating a prostitution and international sex trafficking ring.

On Tuesday morning, law enforcement took into custody Mike Jeffries, a former fashion executive, along with his partner Matthew Smith and their supposed intermediary, James Jacobson.

Federal prosecutors claimed that the individuals employed violence, deceit, and intimidation to participate in sexual activities that were described as "brutal and exploitative."

Mr. Jeffries and his partner have consistently maintained their innocence through their legal representatives. On Tuesday, Mr. Jeffries' attorney informed the BBC that they plan to provide a thorough response to the accusations once the Indictment is made public.

An attorney representing Mr. Smith has been contacted for additional remarks. A&F has opted not to provide any comment regarding the recent updates.

Caution: This narrative includes depictions of sexual activities.

The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, claimed that Mr. Jeffries exploited his wealth, influence, and position as the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch to engage in the trafficking of men for his own sexual gratification and for the enjoyment of his partner, Mr. Smith.

Summarizing the claims made by prosecutors, Mr. Peace stated that the couple hired Mr. Jacobson to find recruits. He would organize “tryouts” where men from around the world were involved in sexual activities for financial compensation.

After Mr. Jeffries gave his approval for the men, they were flown to his residence in New York, where, according to Mr. Peace, they were urged to drink alcohol, take Viagra, and use muscle relaxants.

Prosecutors also claimed that Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Smith either instructed others or directly "administered a substance to induce erections" in men who were unable or reluctant to take part.

The former CEO "invested millions in a substantial infrastructure to back this operation and keep it under wraps," according to the prosecutors. This spending covered expenses like overseas trips, accommodations, hired personnel, and security for the events.

Prosecutors stated that the indictment listed 15 victims, but they claimed that the operation involved many more men, potentially reaching into the dozens.

Last year, the FBI began looking into allegations that Mike Jeffries and his partner had sexually exploited and abused men at events they organized in their New York homes and various hotels globally. This investigation was prompted by a report from the BBC.

The BBC's investigation uncovered a complex scheme that included an intermediary and a group of recruiters assigned to locate men for these events.

Mr. Peace, the federal prosecutor, stated during Tuesday's press conference that officials were first alerted by news articles.

After the BBC's report, a civil lawsuit was lodged in New York alleging that Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Smith were involved in sex trafficking, as well as committing rape and sexual assault.

The legal action also claimed that Abercrombie & Fitch financed a sex-trafficking ring that was run by its former CEO during his twenty years in leadership.

On Tuesday, Brad Edwards from the law firm Edwards Henderson, who is representing several of the alleged victims, stated: "These arrests mark a significant initial step in the pursuit of justice for the numerous individuals who were taken advantage of and mistreated by this long-running sex-trafficking operation that functioned under the false pretense of legitimacy offered by Abercrombie."

"The remarkable coverage by the BBC, along with the legal action we took that outlined the operation, played a key role in these significant arrests. This outcome is a testament to outstanding investigative reporting."

During its first inquiry, the BBC interviewed 12 men who shared their experiences of participating in or organizing events featuring sexual activities hosted by Mr. Jeffries, aged 80, and his British partner Mr. Smith, aged 61, from 2009 to 2015.

The eight men present at the events claimed they were approached by a intermediary named James Jacobson, as reported by the BBC.

Last month, additional men came forward with accusations. Some claimed that Mr. Jeffries' aides had given them injections in their penis with what they believed was liquid Viagra.

Mr. Jacobson, who is 71 years old, previously expressed to the BBC via his lawyer that he found it offensive to imply that he engaged in "any coercive, deceptive, or forceful actions" and that he was "unaware of any such behavior from others."

The BBC conducted interviews with numerous additional sources, including former members of the household staff.

Several men interviewed by the BBC reported that they were given misleading information about the events or were not informed that sexual activities were involved. Others acknowledged they were aware that the events would include sexual elements, but were unclear about the specific expectations placed on them. Regardless, all of them received payment.

Many individuals reported to the BBC that the intermediary or other recruiters mentioned potential modeling opportunities with A&F.

At the age of 23, David Bradberry, who was looking to break into modeling, expressed that it was explicitly communicated to him that in order to have a chance to meet A&F CEO Mr. Jeffries, he needed to engage in oral sex with Mr. Jacobson.

Mr. Bradberry explained to the BBC, "It was as if he was peddling celebrity status, and the cost was agreeing to go along with it."

Mr. Bradberry mentioned that he subsequently went to a gathering at Mr. Jeffries' luxurious home in the Hamptons on Long Island, where he encountered Mr. Jeffries and engaged in sexual relations with him.

He mentioned that the isolated setting and the presence of Mr. Jeffries' personal staff, who were wearing A&F uniforms and overseeing the activities, made him feel like he couldn't express his discomfort or decline the situation.

Following the release of the BBC's investigation last year, A&F stated that it would conduct its own independent inquiry into the claims made. When we inquired about the estimated completion date of this report and whether the results would be disclosed, the company chose not to respond.

Similar to Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Smith, the company has been working to have the civil lawsuit against it thrown out, claiming it was unaware of the alleged sex-trafficking operation run by its former CEO, which it has been accused of financially supporting.

Earlier this year, a court in the United States decided that Abercrombie & Fitch is responsible for covering the legal expenses of Mike Jeffries as he battles civil accusations related to sex trafficking and rape. The judge determined that these allegations were connected to his position within the company, following Jeffries' lawsuit against the brand for not paying his legal costs.

The company stated that it wouldn't discuss legal issues. Nonetheless, in the defense it presented to the court, A&F claimed that its current management was "not aware of" the allegations until it was approached by the BBC. They emphasized that the company "strongly opposes sexual abuse and denounces the behavior" attributed to Mr. Jeffries and others.

In 2014, Mr. Jeffries resigned from his position as CEO due to falling sales and departed with a retirement package estimated at roughly $25 million (£20.5 million), based on the company documents from that period.

Previously one of the highest-earning CEOs in the United States, he was a polarizing character who dealt with allegations of staff discrimination, issues surrounding his extravagant spending, and worries about the unofficial sway of his partner, Matthew Smith, within A&F.

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