Former Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested on charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. Jeffries, 80, and his British partner, Matthew Smith, 61, were arrested in West Palm Beach on Thursday, according to a ABC News report. A third man, Jim Jacobson, was also arrested in connection with the case in Wisconsin.
The three men are accused of sexually exploiting and abusing young men at parties they hosted both in the U.S. and globally. Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York announced in January that they had launched a criminal investigation after several men came forward, alleging they were abused by Jeffries and his partner.
Sexually Abusing Young Men and Trafficking Them
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Last year, Jeffries and his longtime boyfriend were accused of sex trafficking in a shocking BBC documentary, which claimed the incidents occurred between 2009 and 2015. Both men have denied the allegations.
The couple is set to appear in federal court later on Tuesday. Accusers Barrett Pall and David Bradberry alleged they were recruited by middleman Jacobson under the pretense of “modeling opportunities,” only to be sexually exploited.
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Over a dozen men have claimed they were forced into attending sex parties organized for Jeffries’ entertainment.
Jeffries’ lawyer previously stated, “We will respond in detail to the allegations after the indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but plan to do so in the courthouse—not the media.”
The BBC reported that it verified the claims using emails, flight tickets, travel itineraries, and testimony from former members of Jeffries’ household staff.
Jacobson, identified by one man as having a ‘snakeskin patch nose,’ is accused of acting as a middleman, recruiting men for sex parties and propositioning them for oral sex in disturbing “auditions.”
He has denied any misconduct, telling the BBC he was offended by any suggestion of “coercive, deceptive, or forceful behavior on my part,” emphasizing that all his encounters were “completely consensual.”
Over a Dozen Victims Come Forward
In October, accuser Bradberry filed a lawsuit against the retailer concerning the couple’s alleged actions.
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Bradberry submitted the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming that Jeffries employed modeling scouts to scour the internet and other sources to find attractive young men who wanted to be the next face of Abercrombie.
According to the lawsuit, many of these aspiring models became victims of sex trafficking, sent to New York and overseas, where they were abused by Jeffries and other men, all under the guise of being recruited as the next Abercrombie model.
“Jeffries was so important to the profitability of the brand that he was given complete autonomy to perform his role as CEO however he saw fit, including through the use of blatant international sex-trafficking and abuse of prospective Abercrombie models,” the suit alleges.
On Tuesday, attorneys representing the victims of the class action lawsuit stated that “today’s arrests are monumental for the aspiring male models who were victimized by these individuals.”
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Abercrombie has previously said that it is “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations against Jeffries.
Jeffries, who left Abercrombie in 2014, transformed the brand from a struggling hunting apparel retailer to a sought-after teen clothing store. However, he faced backlash for the company’s sexualized marketing strategies, which included billboards and muscular models that alienated potential customers who did not conform to its image.
Although Jeffries is still legally married to his wife of more than 40 years, Susan Jeffries, he has reportedly been in a relationship with Smith for over 20 years.
