How former Abercrombie CEO Mike Jefferies used power and money to exploit men for sex – Firstpost

The former CEO of fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch was arrested on charges of sex trafficking dozens of men.

Mike Jeffries, who left the company a decade ago, his partner Matthew Smith and James Jacobson – who allegedly procured men for the couple – have all been charged with sex trafficking and prostitution.

The development took place following a BBC Investigation and proposed class action lawsuit accusing Jeffries of luring young men with the prospect of modeling jobs to entice them to travel the world so they could be sexually abused.

But what do we know about the case?

Let’s take a closer look:

Accordingly BBC, All three men were arrested on Tuesday.

The FBI opened an investigation into the case in 2023 after a BBC The investigation revealed that it was a sex trafficking ring with a middleman and a network of recruiters tasked with finding victims.

Jeffries and Smith are alleged to have exploited and abused men at parties at their New York residences and hotels around the world.

Jeffries, 80, Smith, 61, and Jacobson, 71, were each charged with one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of interstate prostitution in connection with 15 unnamed victims between 2008 and 2015.

If convicted, they could face life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison on the sex trafficking charge. They face up to 20 years in prison on the interstate prostitution charges.

Jeffries ran Abercrombie from 1992 to 2014, turning the company into a successful teen clothing maker known for its perfume-filled stores and ads featuring half-naked models.

He resigned amid criticism from investors and analysts that he had failed to keep up with changing tastes among teenage shoppers.

Jeffries made headlines in 2006 when he said in an interview with Salon.com, “We are looking for the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and lots of friends. Many people don’t belong (in our clothes), and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”

The 16 counts were unveiled Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, a decade after Jeffries left the retailer he built over 22 years into a popular clothing brand known for sexually charged marketing.

Prosecutors said Jeffries and Smith paid dozens of men to meet them for sex at their homes in Manhattan and the Hamptons on Long Island, New York, as well as at hotels in places like England, France, Italy, Morocco and St . Bart’s.

According to CNN, Prosecutors alleged that Jeffries and Smith employed staff as security guards for these parties and ordered the men to wear costumes, use sex toys or prepare for certain sexual acts.

They held the men until Jeffries and Smith said they could leave.

The alleged victims, who were heterosexual men, were also physically groomed before the events.

They were not allowed to keep personal items such as wallets and cell phones.

Relying on Jeffries’ large financial resources and Jeffries’ power at Abercrombie, Jeffries and Smith were “committed to fulfilling their sexual desires and ensuring that their international sex trafficking and prostitution business was kept secret in order to preserve Jeffries’ good reputation.” “, says the indictment.

NBC quoted the indictment as saying that the three men “used coercive, deceptive and fraudulent tactics in connection with recruiting, hiring, promoting, obtaining, retaining, soliciting and paying the men for commercial sex.”

Prosecutors said Jacobson typically conducted “trials” in which male recruits as young as 19 would have sex with him before being referred to Jeffries and Smith.

They also said the program included muscle relaxers called “poppers” and props such as large sex toys and high-pressure enemas.

An alleged victim told this BBC Jacobson “made it clear to me that if I didn’t let him perform oral sex on me, I wouldn’t date Abercrombie & Fitch or Mike Jeffries.”

“I think this experience broke me,” said another former model BBC. “I think it took away every ounce of innocence I had left. It messed me up mentally. But with the language I have today, I can sit here and tell you that I was taken advantage of.”

The outlet reported that the men who were unable or unwilling to participate were “injected with an erection-inducing substance,” either by Jeffries or Smith or at their behest.

The medium initially spoke to a dozen men who admitted to taking part in or organizing these events between 2009 and 2015.

Eight men said they were recruited by an intermediary.

The outlet later identified that person as Jacobson.

More alleged victims came forward in September.

Some claimed Jeffries’ assistants injected them with liquid Viagra.

CNN reported that these injections caused painful physical reactions in the men that lasted several hours, according to prosecutors.

Some of the alleged victims were as young as 19 years old.

They were “handed itineraries for the sex events that did not relate to commercial sex but were similar to those often sent to models for photo shoots,” the outlet says.

Jeffries “spent millions of dollars on a massive infrastructure to support this operation and maintain its secrecy,” prosecutors alleged.

They said that while the prosecution named only 15 victims, the operation “involved dozens and dozens of men.”

Men had to sign non-disclosure agreements and pay compensation if they told anyone, including family and friends, what happened.

The proposed class action is led by named plaintiff David Bradberry, who participated in the lawsuit BBC The investigation separately accused Abercrombie of paying off people who accused Jeffries of sexual abuse or harassment.

According to BBCthis civil lawsuit was filed in New York.

Abercrombie, Jeffries and Smith asked a federal judge on Oct. 4 to dismiss the case.

Brittany Henderson, a partner at the law firm representing the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit, said The New York Times“Your fight for justice does not end here. Our clients look forward to holding Abercrombie and Fitch liable for enabling this terrible behavior and ensuring it cannot happen again.”

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace, whose office secured a conviction and 30-year prison sentence for singer R. Kelly on sex trafficking charges, said powerful people have for too long sexually abused young people who longed for careers in fashion and entertainment.

Peace accused Jeffries of “trafficking men for his own sexual pleasure” and for the benefit of Smith BBC.

“To anyone who thinks they can exploit and coerce others using the so-called casting couch system, this case should serve as a warning: Prepare to trade that couch for a bed in federal prison,” Peace said at a news conference.

In separate court hearings, Jeffries and Jacobson were released on bonds of $10 million and $500,000, respectively.

A spokesman for Peace said formal pleas are expected to be filed Friday afternoon in federal court in Central Islip, New York. Prosecutors want both men housed at home.

Smith, a dual American-British citizen, was detained during his trial. Prosecutors want him detained pending trial because of the risk of escape.

Jeffries’ lawyer Brian Bieber said this BBC his client will “respond to the allegations in detail after the indictment has been unsealed.”

“Michael is 79 years old and retired. “Over the past few years, he has chosen not to comment on media reports, documentaries and stories of any kind relating to his personal life – and has no plans to do so now,” Bieber said NPR by email.

Smith’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment after the hearings. Jeremy Schneider, an attorney for Jacobson, declined to comment.

Abercrombie also declined to comment. No wrongdoing was alleged, and Peace said there was no evidence that the alleged crimes occurred on company property.

The New Albany, Ohio-based company said it was “shocked and appalled” by the allegations against Jeffries and that it was unlikely it had anything to do with them.

With inputs from agencies