Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries Arrested in Sex-Trafficking Case: Report Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries was arrested in Florida on Tuesday as part of an investigation led by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York. Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries charged with sex trafficking Please use the sharing tool available via the share button above or next to the article https://worldtodaynews24.com/ Subscribers can share 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, who faces charges of sex trafficking, rape, and sexual assault, has been released on $10 million (£7.7m) bond after a court appearance. His British partner Matthew Smith was remanded on Tuesday. Another defendant in the case, James Jacobson, was released on a $500,000 bond. The BBC reported that they are due to appear in court again on Friday. The arrest was part of a Brooklyn-led federal investigation The lawsuit claims that Jeffries coerced the models into having sex Jeffries, credited with Abercrombie’s past successes, resigned in 2014 Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries was arrested by federal agents investigating allegations that he ran a sex-trafficking operation, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. He was arrested in Florida on Tuesday as part of an investigation led by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York. Abercrombie and Fitch declined to comment on questions from Reuters, while Jeffries could not immediately be reached. Last year, a group of once-aspiring Abercrombie & Fitch male models sued the retailer and its former CEO, alleging that the company benefited from a sex-trafficking operation led by Jeffries. A proposed class action filed by former model David Bradbury in Manhattan federal court claims that Jeffries forced models to take drugs and engage in sexual activity with him and others for the chance to appear in Abercrombie’s provocative catalogs. The suit alleges that company officials knew about the conduct and that Abercrombie offered settlements to people who accused Jeffries of sexual assault or harassment.
Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries
Jeffries, who was CEO from 1992 to 2014, was credited with turning the retailer into a successful teen clothing maker known for its cologne-filled stores and ads featuring half-naked models. However, he resigned amid criticism that he failed to keep up with the tastes of teenage buyers.US prosecutors have accused former Abercrombie & Fitch chief executive Mike Jeffries of running a global sex-trafficking operation, alleging that he lured dozens of young male models to engage in sexual activity in New York and elsewhere, often without their consent.
Jeffries, who headed the fashion brand from 1992 to 2014, along with partners Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, “was accused of running a business that was devoted to satisfying [his] sexual desires,” the complaint said. Worked as a recruiter.
The 80-year-old “used her power, her wealth, and her influence with men for her own sexual pleasure,” U.S. Attorney Brian Pease of the Eastern District of New York said Tuesday. Many of the recruits were told they would appear in Abercrombie ads, he added. Mike Jeffries Federal prosecutor Peace confirmed that media reports, particularly from the BBC, had initially tipped off the authorities. Following a BBC investigation, a civil suit was filed in New York accusing Jeffries and Smith of sex trafficking, rape and sexual assault. Brad Edwards, a civil lawyer representing some of the alleged victims, described the arrests as “a huge first step toward justice.” “These monumental arrests resulted from the BBC’s unprecedented reporting detailing our firm’s activities,” he added. Mike Jeffries Although the complaint only names 15 alleged victims, the scheme “involved anywhere from a few to dozens of men,” Peace said, urging others to come forward.
Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries
In its investigation, the BBC interviewed 12 men who said they attended or organized events involving Jeffries and Smith’s sexual activity between 2009 and 2015. Mike Jeffries Prosecutors said they would seek to keep Smith, a UK national, in prison pending trial because he posed a flight risk. Other defendants will be allowed to post bail if the judge agrees. Mike Jeffries Jefferies’ lawyer Brian Bieber said: “We will respond in detail to the allegations after they are published and, when appropriate, plan to do so in court – not the media.” A lawyer for Smith made a similar statement. A lawyer for Jacobson declined to comment. She resigned in 2020 under pressure from her relationship with the late sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sex trafficking of underage girls. Mike Jeffries
More allegations surfaced last month, with some victims claiming Jeffries’ assistants injected them with what they called liquid Viagra. Jacobson, 71, has denied any coercion or fraudulent conduct through his lawyer, the BBC reported.
Many told the BBC they were confused or unaware of the sexual nature of the incident. Others claimed they were promised modeling opportunities with Abercrombie and Fitch in exchange for their participation. Mike Jeffries
David Bradbury, a then 23-year-old aspiring model, shared with the BBC that he felt pressured to perform sexually to meet Jeffries. “It felt like he was selling fame. And the price was agreeable,” Bradbury said. Mike Jeffries
He later attended a party at Jeffries’ mansion in the Hamptons, where he felt unsafe due to the secluded environment and the presence of A&F uniformed staff, he told the BBC. Jefferies reinvented Abercrombie as a hip brand owner bound to “sizzle with sex” by teenagers. “Every school has cool and popular kids and then there are cool kids. In 2006, Jeffries said, “Really, we go after great kids.” His ad campaigns featured models in shocking, outrageous outfits that drew the ire of groups such as Concerned Christians of America.
Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries
Abercrombie’s stock price rose in the years following its 1996 public offering. Following the BBC’s investigative report last year, Abercrombie & Fitch announced an independent investigation into the allegations but did not say when the findings would be published. The agency declined to comment when asked about the status of the investigation, the BBC reported. Jeffries, Smith & Abercrombie & Fitch is fighting to have the civil suit dismissed. The company argued that it did not know about Jeffries’ alleged activities. However, a US court previously ruled that A&F must cover Jeffries’ legal fees because the allegations relate to his corporate role.
Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries
Jeffries resigned in 2014 after Abercrombie’s sales declined and the company faced discrimination claims from employees. A 40-page “aircraft manual” that emerged in a lawsuit against the company alleged that employees serving Jefferies on private planes must wear Abercrombie polo shirts and boxer briefs, among other rules.
