Abercrombie & Fitch: Former CEO of company arrested on sex trafficking charges after BBC investigation

The former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F), Mike Jeffries, was arrested this Tuesday morning and charged with trafficking and sexual exploitation along with his partner Matthew Smith and an alleged middleman.

Prosecutor Brion Peace said at a news conference Tuesday that Jeffries and Smith, ages 80 and 61, took advantage of more than a dozen “vulnerable human beings by promising them dreams of a future in fashion or modeling.”

The prosecutor said the defendants used an intermediary to recruit men, who were taken to the couple’s properties and hotels around the world to have sex.

Jeffries, his partner and the alleged middleman were charged with 16 counts. Interstate sex trafficking and prostitution,

Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson “went beyond simply hiring men for sex,” the indictment says. force, fraud and coercion Trafficking those men for your sexual gratification

Attorneys for Jeffries and Smith had previously denied any wrongdoing by the couple.

Prosecutor Peace said the men were led to believe that participating in such events would benefit their careers and were made to sign confidentiality agreements.

Men were pressured to consume alcohol, Viagra and popperAnd during events there were staff present to ensure that men did not leave.

In the words of James Dennehy of the FBI’s New York office, these charges are another example of “Individuals use their money, power, and influence to manipulate and control others.”

In response to Jeffries’ arrest, his lawyer told the BBC: “We will respond in detail to the allegations.” However, he added, “We plan to do this in court, not in the media.”

Jeffries was released from jail on Tuesday After paying bail of US$10 million.

The BBC also asked Smith’s lawyer for comment on the arrest.

A&F declined to comment on the latest developments.

The FBI launched an investigation last year after it was revealed by the BBC Mike Jefferies and his partner allegedly sexually assaulted and abused men at events held at their residence In New York and in hotels around the world.

BBC investigation revealed a sophisticated operation In which an intermediary and a network of recruiters participated in obtaining men for the events.

Following the publication of the BBC report, a civil lawsuit was filed in New York accusing Jeffries and Smith of sex trafficking, rape, and sexual assault.

also filed suit Abercrombie & Fitch of financing a sex trafficking operation run by its former CEO during the two decades he ran the company.

Under US law, sex trafficking involves the transportation of an adult to another state or country for sex in exchange for money, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.

Upon confirming the arrests, Brad Edwards, a civil attorney representing some of the alleged victims, said: “These arrests A big first step towards justice “To the countless victims who were exploited and abused through this sex trafficking scheme, which operated for many years under the cover of legality provided by Abercrombie.”

“The BBC’s ground-breaking reporting, as well as the lawsuit filed by our company detailing the operation, are credited with these major arrests. This is the result of impressive investigative journalism.”

Warning: This story contains descriptions of sexual acts

BBC spoke in its investigation 12 men described participating in events that included sexual acts Organized for, or organized for, Jeffries and his associates between 2009 and 2015.

Eight people who took part in the events said they were recruited by an intermediary identified by the BBC james jacobson,

Jacobson, 70, told the BBC in a statement through his lawyer that he was hurt by any suggestion of “coercive, deceptive or coercive behavior on my part”. He said he was “not aware of any similar conduct by others.”

The indictment unsealed this Tuesday indicates that Jacobson worked as a recruiter and that he conducted “tests” with certain people in which he paid them to participate in sexual acts.

The BBC also interviewed dozens of other sources, including former company employees.

Some of the people the BBC spoke to said They were misled about the nature of the events or were not told that sex was involvedOthers said they understood the events would be sexual, but not exactly how they were expected. They all got paid.

Several people told the BBC that they had been approached by arbitrators or other recruiters about the possibility of modeling for A&F.

David Bradberry, then a 23-year-old aspiring model, said he was “made clear” that if he did not perform oral sex on Jacobson, he would not meet Jeffries, the chief executive of A&F.

Bradberry told the BBC, “It was as if he was selling fame. And the price was compliance.”

Bradberry said he later attended a party at Jeffries’ Hamptons mansion. She met Jeffries and had sex with him.

He said the venue was “secluded” and the presence of Jeffries staff, dressed in A&F uniforms, was monitoring the events. She didn’t feel safe saying “no.” Or ‘I don’t feel comfortable in this.'”

Following the publication of the BBC’s findings last year, A&F announced it was launching an independent investigation into the allegations made.

When we asked recently when that report would be completed – and whether the findings would be made public – the company declined to answer.

Like Jeffries and Smith, The brand tried to get the civil suit against it dismissedClaiming that it had no knowledge of an “alleged sex trafficking ring” run by its former CEO, which it is accused of funding.

Earlier this year, a US court ruled that A&F must cover the legal defense costs of Mike Jeffries, who continues to defend himself against civil charges of sex trafficking and rape. After he sued the brand for refusing to pay his legal costs, the judge ruled that the allegations were linked to his corporate role.

The brand said it does not comment on legal matters. However, in its defense presented to the court, A&F said that Its current management team was “unaware” of the allegations.

Contacted by the BBC, he said the company was “abhorred by the sexual exploitation and condemns the alleged conduct” of Jeffries and others.

In 2014, Jeffries stepped down as CEO after declining sales and walked away with a retirement package worth about $25 million, according to company filings at the time.

Jefferies, who became one of the highest-paid executives in the United States, was a controversial figure, fueled by allegations of discrimination against employees, concerns about his excessive spending, and his criticism of his partner Matthew Smith inside A&F. Faced complaints about informal influence.

Subscribe here Visit our new newsletter every Friday to receive a selection of our best content of the week.

And remember you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest versions and activate them.