Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO to be indicted on sex trafficking, prostitution charges

ISLIP CENTRAL, New York – The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is expected to be indicted on federal charges on Friday. interstate sex trafficking and prostitution charges in a New York court.

Prosecutors allege that for years, Michael Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man lured men to participate in sex parties by promising to work as models for the clothing retailer once famous for its preppy, Americana aesthetic and marketing to men. shirtless. models.

In charges announced earlier this week, prosecutors say 15 accusers were induced by “force, fraud and coercion” to participate in drug-fueled sex parties where men were sometimes ordered to wear costumes, use toys sexual and will endure painful penile erections. injections.

The events took place between 2008 and 2015 in the Hamptons, the wealthy Long Island summer resort where Jeffries has a home, as well as in hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts, according to the indictment.

The allegations echo allegations of sexual misconduct described in media reports and made in a civil case against the 80-year-old man, who left Abercrombie in 2014 after leading the company for more than two decades.

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 71-year-old Jeffries employee who will also be indicted, said Jacobson would 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, 61, who also appeared in court in Florida, was ordered detained after prosecutors raised concerns that the American and British citizen could flee the country. No date has been set for Smith’s arraignment.

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 on Instagram After the arrests, she said she was “horrified 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” photos 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.”

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