Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

Ex-Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries Arrested on Sex Trafficking Charges

wikitree Views  

Abercrombie & Fitch Logo
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries / Screenshot from “WPTV News” YouTube

Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, has been arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking and prostitution.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced that Jeffries was charged with 16 counts, including human trafficking for sexual exploitation and prostitution.

Jeffries, along with his partner Matthew Smith and a third man, James Jacobson, faced charges related to prostitution and sex trafficking in New York, as indicted by a federal grand jury.

This case began after eight male models revealed last year that Jeffries and his associates sexually exploited them during lavish international parties.

Jeffries and Smith reportedly spent significant amounts of money on sexual events from 2008 to 2015. They allegedly brought various men to participate in these events and hired a security company to enforce non-disclosure agreements, preventing victims from disclosing their situations. Jacobson recruited male models at these events and sought Smith’s approval.

Prosecutors claimed that they spent millions of dollars operating a prostitution ring and criticized Jeffries for exploiting men using his wealth and power. U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace stated that Jeffries and Smith manipulated victims through coercion, fraud, and intimidation. He emphasized the likelihood of additional victims and urged them to come forward with their stories.

Authorities arrested Jeffries and Smith in West Palm Beach, Florida. Jeffries’s attorney, Brian Beaver, stated that they do not plan to make detailed rebuttals to the media but intend to reveal the truth in court. However, Smith, a British Citizen, may face a high likelihood of bail denial due to concerns about his fleeing.

This incident is not unrelated to Jeffries’s background, as he built wealth and fame leading Abercrombie & Fitch for 22 years.

An internationally popular brand, Abercrombie, founded in 1892, boasts over a century of history; former President Franklin Roosevelt and novelist Ernest Hemingway were among its fans. Jeffries transformed the brand’s image after taking the helm in 1992.

After becoming CEO in 1992, Jeffries turned the brand into an iconic teen fashion label. Successfully marketing it as clothes for “good-looking people,” he caused controversy for openly stating that he only wanted to hire attractive employees to build a customer base of good-looking individuals. Despite retracting his statement in 2013, it had already hurt many customers.

His tenure was also marred by legal and ethical controversies, including a class-action lawsuit in 2003 for racial discrimination filed by Black, Latino, and Asian employees, which Abercrombie eventually settled. Additionally, the brand faced backlash for provocative advertising resembling soft-core pornography.

The fashion industry is closely watching for further revelations surrounding Jeffries’s arrest.

wikitree
content@viewusglobal.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[LATEST] Latest Stories

  • Pfizer Ends Obesity Drug Trial After Liver Risk Emerges
  • Not Just Old Age: The Pneumonia That Affected Pope Francis’ Final Years
  • China Just Cranked U.S. Tariffs to 84% — And That’s Not the End of It
  • BMW's Next-Gen EV: The Bold New i3 Touring Concept Revealed
  • LEGO Technic Ferrari SF-24 F1 Car: A 1,361-Piece Tribute to Ferrari’s 2024 F1 Season
  • Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 Just Took the Top Spot in J.D. Power’s EV Ownership Study

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Bristol-Myers’ Schizophrenia Drug Falls Short in Key Trial

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Novavax COVID Vaccine Still on Hold—More Trials Needed, Says FDA

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Want to Lower Your Blood Pressure? Eat More Bananas, Study Says

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Weekend Workouts Are Enough to Cut Diabetes Risk, Study Says

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Brushing Right After Eating Could Hurt Your Teeth—Here’s Why

    LIFESTYLE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Early Bedtimes Could Help Teens Boost Brain Power, Study Finds

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Scientists Find a New Reason to Snack on Walnuts

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    It’s Not Just How Long You Sleep—It’s How You Sleep That Matters

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Want to Live to 100? Start Eating Like They Do in the Blue Zones

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Forget the Treadmill—This Machine Burns Twice the Calories in Half the Time

    LIFESTYLE 

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Bristol-Myers’ Schizophrenia Drug Falls Short in Key Trial

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Novavax COVID Vaccine Still on Hold—More Trials Needed, Says FDA

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Want to Lower Your Blood Pressure? Eat More Bananas, Study Says

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Weekend Workouts Are Enough to Cut Diabetes Risk, Study Says

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Brushing Right After Eating Could Hurt Your Teeth—Here’s Why

    LIFESTYLE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Early Bedtimes Could Help Teens Boost Brain Power, Study Finds

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Scientists Find a New Reason to Snack on Walnuts

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    It’s Not Just How Long You Sleep—It’s How You Sleep That Matters

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Want to Live to 100? Start Eating Like They Do in the Blue Zones

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Forget the Treadmill—This Machine Burns Twice the Calories in Half the Time

    LIFESTYLE 

Share it on...