Former Abercrombie & Fitch boss Mike Jeffries to be prosecuted on sex trafficking and prostitution charges

NEW YORK — Former Abercrombie CEO & Fitch will be arraigned Friday on federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution in a New York court.

Prosecutors allege that for nearly two decades, Michael Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man lured men into sex parties by promising to work as models for the clothing retailer once famous for its preppy, all-American aesthetic and marketing. . with shirtless male models.

In charges announced earlier this week, prosecutors say about 15 unnamed accusers were induced by “force, fraud and coercion” to participate in drug-fueled sex parties in New York, England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts between 2008 and 2015. During the events, men were sometimes ordered to wear costumes, use sex toys and endure painful penile injections to induce erections, according to the indictment.

The allegations echo allegations of sexual misconduct described in media reports and made in a civil case against Jeffries, who left Abercrombie in 2014.

Jeffries’ attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment ahead of a Friday afternoon appearance in federal court on Long Island, where Jeffries is expected to plead guilty to the charges.

An attorney for James Jacobson, a Jeffries employee who will also be indicted, declined to comment other than to say his client will plead not guilty.

Jeffries was released on $10 million bail after appearing in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday.

His partner, Matthew Smith, who also appeared in court in Florida, was ordered detained after prosecutors raised concerns that the American-British citizen could flee the country.

Jacobson, who prosecutors say recruited men for sex parties, was arrested in Wisconsin and released on $500,000 bail during his initial appearance in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jeffries took over as CEO of Abercrombie in 1992, presiding over the company’s evolution from its roots as a hunting and outdoor supply store founded in Manhattan in 1892 to a fixture of mall culture for teenagers in the early 2000s.

Abercrombie, in a statement posted to Instagram after the arrests, said it was “shocked and disgusted” by the allegations.

The Ohio-based company, which also owns the Hollister clothing brand, said it has “transformed” its brands and culture in the decade since Jeffries’ departure.

Abercrombie stopped using “sexualized” photographs in marketing materials and ended the practice of calling store staff “models.” Last year it hired an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation into similar allegations against Jeffries.

“Speaking out and coming forward is not easy, and our thoughts remain with those who have bravely raised their voices as part of the federal investigation,” the company wrote in its Wednesday statement. “We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind and are committed to fully cooperating with authorities as the legal process continues.”