Federal prosecutors alleged that for seven years, Abercrombie’s former CEO ran an international sex trafficking business behind the scenes of the behemoth clothing brand. Mike Jeffries, his romantic partner and an associate all face federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, charges linked to 15 alleged victims. NBC New York’s Erica Byfield reports.
The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries, has been arrested on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Jeffries has been arrested in West Palm Beach, Florida. Two other associates, Matthew Smith of West Palm Beach and James Jacobson of Wisconsin, were also arrested in connection with sex trafficking charges.
They are expected to appear in federal court in Florida and Wisconsin today, and arraigned on a later date in the eastern District of New York.
Jeffries was the CEO of the popular clothing brand from 1992 to 2014.
Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson each face a single count of sex trafficking as well as 15 counts of interstate prostitution tied to 15 alleged victims.
A federal indictment alleges Jeffries — along with Smith, his romantic partner, and Jacobson, who was described as a recruiter — operated an "international sex trafficking and prostitution business” from 2008 to 2015.
It alleges that they organized “sex events” in England, France, Italy, Morocco, St. Barts and New York for Jeffries, Smith and “others.” They “employed coercive, fraudulent and deceptive tactics in connection with the recruitment, hiring, transportation, obtaining, maintaining, solicitation and payment of the men to engage in commercial sex.”
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The men who attended the events allegedly were led to believe that it could lead to modeling opportunities or help their careers or “that not complying with requests for certain acts during the Sex Events could harm their careers.”
The men were required to sign non-disclosure agreements and surrender their wallets and cell phones during the events.
Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson also allegedly recruited, hired and paid an exclusive set of household staff to “facilitate and supervise the sex events.” The staff provided Jeffries, Smith and the men who attended alcohol, muscle relaxants known as "poppers," lubricant, Viagra and condoms, among other items. Either Jacobson or the staff paid the men for attending the sex events, the indictment said.
Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a news conference that Jeffries and Smith spent millions on the sex trafficking enterprise — from paying staff, paying for travel and paying to maintain secrecy.
Peace said the operation used a referral system and interview process, during which the men that were allegedly preyed upon were not informed about the details of the sex events before attending. During those “tryouts” of potential candidates, Jacobson typically had candidates first engage in commercial sex acts with him, the indictment said.
At the events, the men were pressured to drink and consume poppers, and "on more than one occasion when men did not or could not consent, Jeffries and Smith violated the bodily integrity of these men by subjecting them or continuing to subject them to invasive sexual and violent contact by body parts and other objects," Peace said.
"Powerful individuals, for too long, have trafficked and abused for their own sexual pleasure young people with few resources in a dream, a dream of securing a successful career in fashion or entertainment," Peace said. He warned anyone who thinks they can exploit or coerce by using the "so-called casting couch system" that they should "prepare to trade that couch for a bed in federal prison."
Peace said his office became aware of the alleged crimes through media reports.
The news of Jeffries' arrest comes one year after BBC News published an explosive report that said Jeffries exploited men at sex parties he hosted. That report said 12 men described attending or organizing events that included sex acts for Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith, and those events took place from 2009 to 2015. Some of the men who spoke to BBC said they were exploited or didn’t participate willingly.
Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, told NBC News at the time that Jeffries would not comment on reports about his personal life. Abercrombie & Fitch said the company was “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations in the BBC report.
Bieber told NBC News on Tuesday in response to the arrest: “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.”
Shortly after that report, Abercrombie & Fitch and Jeffries were sued for allegedly turning a blind eye to Jeffries’ alleged misconduct. That civil suit alleged he sexually abused numerous men after luring them with the promise of coveted modeling contracts, CNBC reported.
“Today’s arrests are monumental for the aspiring male models who were victimized by these individuals," attorney Brittany Henderson, who is representing victims from that class action lawsuit, said in a statement Tuesday.
"Their fight for justice does not end here," the statement said. "We look forward to holding Abercrombie and Fitch liable for facilitating this terrible conduct and ensuring that this cannot happen again."
When asked if the alleged sex trafficking enterprise possibly continued after 2015, Peace said the investigation is ongoing, and encouraged any victims or any witnesses to come forward.
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, the National Sexual Assault hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673.
