BREAKING: Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries arrested for international s** trafficking. Taking advantage of minors, Abercrombie & Fitch Mike Jeffries lured and used….See more

NEW YORK (AP) – Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man were arrested Tuesday on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, a spokesperson for federal prosecutors said.

Details of the criminal charges weren’t immediately available. They follow sexual misconduct allegations, made in civil lawsuits and the media, from young people who said Jeffries lured them with promises of modeling work and then pressed them into sex acts.

Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, said by email he would “respond in detail to the allegations after the indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but plan to do so in the courthouse – not the media.”

Jeffries and his partner, Matthew Smith, were arrested in Florida and were due to make an initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon in West Palm Beach. Co-defendant James Jacobson was arrested in Wisconsin; there was no immediate information on a court appearance.

Information on attorneys for Smith and Jacobson wasn’t immediately available.

Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney Breon Peace and FBI and police officials were set to hold a news conference later Tuesday.

Jeffries became CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch in 1992 and left in 2014. The New Albany, Ohio-based company declined to comment on his arrest.

One lawsuit filed in New York last year accused Abercrombie of allowing Jeffries to run a sex-trafficking organization during his 22-year tenure. It said that Jeffries had modeling scouts scouring the internet for victims, and that some prospective models became sex-trafficking victims.

Abercrombie last year said it had hired an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation after a report on similar allegations was aired by the BBC.

The BBC investigation included a dozen men who described being at events involving sex acts they said were staged by Jeffries and Smith, often at his home in New York and hotels in London, Paris and elsewhere. The BBC report described Jacobson as a middleman who recruited men for the events.

When the lawsuit was filed in New York last year, Bieber declined to comment on the allegations.

Abercrombie & Fitch traces its roots to a hunting and outdoors goods store that was founded in 1892. By the time Jeffries arrived a century later, the brand was a retail also-ran.

He was credited with transforming it into a darling of turn-of-the-millennium teen mall culture, known for its nouveau-preppy aesthetic – and for some controversy surrounding it. Jeffries alienated some customers by talking about how the company went after attractive kids who could fit into its clothes.

After the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession, A&F’s popularity started to fade again. By the time Jeffries left, a hedge fund had pushed the company’s board to replace him because of the company’s lagging performance.

But the company has rebounded in recent years.

Related Posts

SHOCKING NEWS: Actor Julien Arnold suddenly passed away while performing Christmas Carol. The initial cause was determined to be due to…see more

Veteran and beloved theatre artist Julien Arnold has died after suffering a medical emergency while performing onstage at Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre.  The 60-year-old Canadian stage actor was playing the roles…

Read more

SAD NEWS: Julien Arnold, a beloved Canadian stage actor, has died after suffering a medical emergency while performing in ‘A Christmas Carol’. The cause of death is believed to be…see more

Julien Arnold, a beloved stage actor in Canada, died after experiencing a medical emergency while performing in A Christmas Carol. His death occurred during an evening performance of the stage production…

Read more

BREAKING NEWS: After an extensive investigation, Florida officials have recovered dozens of gold coins worth more than $1 million that were stolen from a shipwreck nine years ago. Officials had to…see more

After an extensive investigation, Florida officials recovered dozens of gold coins valued at more than $1 million that were stolen from a shipwreck recovery nine years ago. The Florida Fish…

Read more

SHOCK: New Zealand becomes the latest country to ban conservative influencer Candace Owens. The situation became more serious when Candace Owens…see more

New Zealand has become the latest country in banning controversial conservative commentator Candace Owens, denying her a visa under immigration laws. Owens, a prominent far-right influencer, faced international backlash for her history…

Read more

SAD NEWS: Beloved singer of “The Love Boat,” Jack Jones, has died suddenly at the age of 86. The cause of death was not old age but…see more

Jack Jones, an iconic figure in music with a career spanning more than six decades, passed away on October 23, 2024, at the age of 86. Known for his smooth,…

Read more

CHOQUE: Denzel Washington rechazó un papel de 200 millones de dólares en Disney y anunció que no participaría en la “cultura del despertar”. Disney me obligó a… ver más

**SHOCK: Dezel Washipotter rechazó un papel de 200 millones de dólares en Disney, alegando que no participaría en la “cultura despierta”**En una revelación sorprendente que ha causado conmoción en Hollywood,…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *