Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch head to be arraigned on sex trafficking and prostitution charges
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is expected to be arraigned Friday on federal sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges in a New York court.
Prosecutors allege that for nearly two decades, Michael Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man lured men into taking part in sex parties by dangling the promise of modeling for the clothing retailer, once famous for its preppy, All-American aesthetic and marketing with shirtless male models.
In charges announced earlier this week, prosecutors say some 15 unnamed accusers were induced by “force, fraud and coercion” to engage in drug-fueled sex parties in New York, England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts between 2008 and 2015. During the events, the men were sometimes directed to wear costumes, use sex toys and endure painful erection-inducing penile injections, according to the indictment.
The allegations echo sexual misconduct accusations described in media reports and made in a civil case against Jeffries, who left Abercrombie in 2014.
Jeffries’ attorney didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment ahead of the Friday afternoon appearance in federal court on Long Island, where Jeffries is expected to enter a plea on the charges.
A lawyer for James Jacobson, an employee of Jeffries’ also due to be arraigned, declined to comment other than to say his client will be pleading not guilty.
Jeffries was released on a $10 million bond after appearing in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday.
His partner, Matthew Smith, who also appeared in court in Florida, was ordered detained after prosecutors raised concerns that the dual U.S.-British citizen might flee the country.
Jacobson, who prosecutors say recruited men for the sex parties, was arrested in Wisconsin and released on a $500,000 bond during his initial appearance in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Jeffries took over as CEO of Abercrombie in 1992, presiding over the evolution of the company from its roots as a hunting and outdoor goods store founded in Manhattan in 1892 to a fixture of teen mall culture during the early 2000s.
Abercrombie, in a statement posted on Instagram after the arrests, said it was “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations.
The Ohio-based company, which also owns the clothing brand Hollister, said it has “transformed” its brands and culture in the decade since Jeffries departed.
Abercrombie stopped using “sexualized” photos in marketing materials and ended the practice of calling store staffers “models.” It hired an outside law firm last year to conduct an independent investigation into similar allegations against Jeffries.
“Speaking up and coming forward is not easy, and our thoughts remain with those who have bravely raised their voices as part of the federal investigation,” the company wrote in its statement Wednesday. “We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind, and are committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement as the legal process continues.”
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Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
