[Update as of 10/24/24] The current leadership of Abercrombie & Fitch has stated that it is “fully cooperating with law enforcement as the legal process continues” in the case of former CEO Michael Jeffries’ arrest on sex trafficking charges, according to a statement provided to CNBC.
“As we shared when the accusations were first made public in October 2023, we are appalled and disgusted by the alleged behavior of Mr. Jeffries, whose employment with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ended nearly 10 years ago,” said a company spokesperson in the statement. “For close to a decade, we have successfully transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organization we are today. We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind.”
Original story from Oct. 23, 2024 begins –
The former longtime CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Michael Jeffries, has been charged with sex trafficking and engaging in interstate prostitution. Jeffries’ life partner Matthew Smith and James Jacobson also were charged with allegedly arranging for dozens of men to travel to New York and hotels around the world for “Sex Events,” lured by the promise of modeling work for the brand. The indictment alleges that Jacobson was employed to recruit men for these events.
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Jeffries was CEO of Abercrombie from 1992 to 2014. At the time he left the company, there was no indication as to the reasons behind his departure, but in October 2023 new allegations surfaced about the alleged sex crimes. The company said it was “appalled” by the accusations and promised to launch its own independent investigation.
The 16-count indictment, filed yesterday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, alleges that between December 2008 and March 2015 the three men used “a combination of force, fraud and coercion to traffic men while operating a prostitution enterprise,” according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.
Arraignment in the Eastern District will take place at a later date. In separate hearings, Jeffries and Jacobson were released on bonds of $10 million and $500,000, respectively. Smith, a dual U.S.-British citizen, was detained, with prosecutors citing the risk of flight, according to Reuters.
Money, Promises of Modeling Work Lured Victims
The men allegedly “used their money and influence to prey on vulnerable men for their own sexual gratification,” said Breon Pearce, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York in a statement.
The indictment charges that Jeffries and Smith relied on their financial resources and Jeffries’ power as CEO of Abercrombie, as well as numerous other people, including Jacobson and a network of employees, contractors and security professionals, to operate the venture. Jeffries and Smith allegedly paid for the men to travel within the U.S. and to hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barthélémy for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts with them and others.
The defendants are charged with causing men to believe that attending these Sex Events could yield modeling opportunities with Abercrombie, known at the time for its sexually charged homoerotic imagery and advertising, or otherwise benefit their careers — and that not complying with requests for certain acts during the Sex Events would harm their careers. The victims allegedly were required to relinquish their personal items, including clothing, wallets and cell phones, as well as sign non-disclosure agreements.
The defendants also are charged with invasive sexual and violent contact with men who did not or could not consent on “more than one occasion.” Many of the victims, at least one of whom was as young as 19 years old, were financially vulnerable, aspiring fashion industry models. Some of the victims had previously worked at Abercrombie stores or modeled for the brand.
