Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, his British partner Matthew Smith and another man have been arrested and charged with human trafficking.
According to information from the BBC, Jeffries, Smith and their alleged middleman were arrested on Tuesday morning and the FBI and the prosecution are expected to provide more details at a press conference.
BREAKING: Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and two others were arrested Tuesday as part of a criminal sex trafficking investigation, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News. pic.twitter.com/f8uYse65bk
— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2024
Attorneys for Jeffries and Smith deny any wrongdoing on the part of their two principals. Commenting on the latest developments, Jeffries’ lawyer told the BBC: “We will respond in detail to the allegations after the formal announcement of the indictment, and when appropriate, we will do so in court – not in the media.”
Smith’s lawyer has yet to comment, while Abercrombie & Fitch declined to comment on the new revelations.
The BBC revelations
The FBI launched the investigation last year after BBC revelations alleged that Mike Jeffries and his partner sexually exploited and abused men at events they held at their New York residences and hotels worldwide.
The BBC investigation revealed an organized system with a middleman and a network of other people responsible for finding men for the events in question. Following the BBC’s revelation, a civil lawsuit was filed in New York accusing Jeffries and Smith of trafficking, rape and sexual abuse.
The lawsuit also accuses Abercrombie & Fitch of funding the prostitution ring that its former CEO allegedly built during his two decades at the helm.
Under US law, human trafficking involves the transportation of adults to another state or country for the purpose of providing sexual services using force, fraud or coercion.
Confirmation of arrest
Brad Edwards, a lawyer representing some of the victims, confirmed the arrest and said: “These arrests are a huge first step in bringing justice to the many victims who were exploited and abused through this human trafficking business, which operated for years under Abercrombie’s Legal Coverage’.
“Unprecedented BBC journalism, combined with the lawsuit we filed, are responsible for these historic arrests. This was the result of impressive investigative journalism,” he added.
During its investigation, the BBC spoke to 12 men who described taking part in or organizing events involving sexual acts for 79-year-old Jeffries and his 60-year-old partner Smith between 2009 and 2015.
Eight of the men who attended the events said they were recruited by a middleman, 70-year-old James Jacobson, who previously told the BBC through his lawyer that he denied any allegations of “coercive, deceptive or violent behaviour” and that he was “not aware of for any such action by others’.
The testimonies
Some men said they were misled about the nature of the events or that they were not told they would be involved in sexual acts. Others knew the events would be sexual, but didn’t know exactly what was expected of them. All men were paid. Several also reported being offered modeling opportunities at Abercrombie & Fitch.
After the first BBC investigation, Abercrombie announced it was launching an independent investigation into the allegations. When asked recently about when that report will be completed and whether the findings will be made public, the company declined to respond.
Like Jeffries and Smith, the company is trying to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming it had no knowledge of the “alleged human trafficking enterprise” led by its former CEO — which it has been accused of funding.
Earlier this year, a US court ruled that Abercrombie must cover Jeffries’ defense costs as he continues to face charges of sex trafficking and rape. The judge ruled the charges related to his corporate role after Jeffries sued the company for refusing to pay his legal fees.
Abercrombie declined to comment on legal matters. However, in its defense filed in court, the company said its current leadership was “not aware” of the allegations until it was told by the BBC, adding that the company “abhors sexual abuse and condemns the alleged conduct” of Jeffries and others. .
Mediator Jacobson, as he stated through his lawyer, “denies any allegation of deceptive or violent conduct” and “had no knowledge of such actions by others.”
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