Allegations stemming from arrest of former Abercrombie CEO

Michael Jeffries, the former chief executive of clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, and two co-defendants were arrested Tuesday on charges related to an alleged international sex trafficking and prostitution ring that prosecutors say exploited dozens of men.

The 16 indictments released by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn name Jeffries, 80, his partner Matthew Smith, 61, and James Jacobson, 71, as defendants who allegedly interviewed and recruited men to perform sexual acts for Jeffries and Smith to be carried out.

Each of the defendants is charged with one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of interstate prostitution in connection with 15 unnamed victims. Jeffries was CEO of the clothing brand from 1992 to 2014.

The indictment alleges that between 2008 and 2015, the three men ran an international sex trafficking and prostitution business that relied on Jeffries' wealth and power as CEO of Abercrombie. Dozens of men were paid by Jeffries and Smith to travel abroad and within the United States, including to their homes in the Hamptons and New York City, to have sex with them and others. Prosecutors say the victims were often recruited under the guise of a modeling opportunity.

Here are five key allegations from the indictment:

Jeffries and Smith spent millions of dollars building infrastructure to support their international organization, whose operations included a security guard. Much of the money paid for the victims' domestic and international trips and hotel rooms.
Victims and witnesses were required to sign non-disclosure agreements to prevent them from revealing information about the events and to discourage them from seeking help. When witnesses threatened to expose or sue, a security company was deployed to monitor and intimidate these individuals to obtain their silence.
The indictment says Jeffries and Smith hosted “sex events” in which men were pressured to use alcohol and drugs.
Prosecutors said Jacobson recruited and interviewed men for the events by holding “tryouts” in which he had sex with the men before they were invited. Jacobson also paid men who successfully referred others who were eventually invited to the events.
The victims, including one who was as young as 19, say they engaged in sexual acts under the guise of getting a modeling opportunity at Abercrombie. Prosecutors said the victims also believed declining an invitation to the parties “could harm their careers.”

Read the indictment

Attention, the following document contains graphic descriptions of an alleged prostitution ring.

Contribution: Reuters

Read the indictment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply