Michael Jeffries (80) was charged and arrested on Tuesday morning for human trafficking and sexual abuse of several young men in the United States and elsewhere in the world. The BBC writes. The incidents allegedly took place between 2009 and 2014 when Jeffries was head of the American clothing chain Abercrombie and Fitch. Jeffries’ partner, Matthew Smith, was also arrested. The FBI and prosecutors on Tuesday announced more details about the arrest during a news conference. For several years, the clothing chain was one of America’s most popular clothing brands, and was particularly known for its young male muscleless models. Secret sex parties Last winter, Jeffries was accused of several cases of human trafficking and sexual abuse. Several hundred people have taken legal action against the former CEO. One of the plaintiffs accuses those arrested of having lured young people by saying they would become models for Abercrombie & Fitch. Topless male Abercrombie & Fitch models wave to the street. Photo: LAURENT FIEVET / Afp The alleged assaults are said to have taken place, among other things, at secret sex parties, which Jeffries arranged in his own apartments in New York and in hotels around the world. At the parties, male models are said to have involuntarily ingested drugs, alcohol and Viagra so that they could perform sexual acts. Jeffries and Smith’s intermediary, James Jacobsen, has also been arrested by the police. The middleman is said to have recruited men for various events. Jeffries and Smith have spent several million dollars to keep the alleged abuse a secret. Among other things, they paid for support staff, travel, hotel rooms and services from various security companies. According to CNN, the three arrested will be put on trial at a later date. This is stated in the indictment of the three defendants: Former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Michael Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and intermediary James Jacobsen are charged with human trafficking and participation in prostitution across states. The defendants trafficked and abused young people who dreamed of a successful career in fashion and entertainment for their own sexual pleasure. Jeffries and Smith are accused of hiring Jacobsen to work recruiting men around the world to work in the clothing chain. The men recruited were flown to various locations around the world, including Jeffries and Smith’s homes and hotels, for the purpose of attending events to engage in commercial sex. The indictment states that Jeffries, Smith and Jacobsen used force, fraud and coercion against the recruited men, for their own sexual pleasure. The defendants forced the men to drink alcohol, take Viagra and muscle relaxants during sex events. They also had staff at the events who made sure that the recruited men did not go home. There, the defendant gave the men erection-inducing means to make them participate in sexual acts if they were unable or unwilling to participate. Source: BBC A civil lawsuit has been filed against the clothing chain Abercrombie & Fitch. In the lawsuit, the company is accused of financing a human trafficking operation, led by Jeffries while he was a director of the clothing chain. Justice for the victims It was not until the BBC wrote an extensive case about the abuses in January that the FBI opened an investigation. – These arrests are a dark step towards achieving justice for the many victims who were exploited and abused through this human trafficking network, which operated for many years under the guise of the legitimate business Abercrombie & Fitch. So says lawyer Brad Edwards, who represents some of the victims. For several years, Abercrombie & Fitch was one of America’s well-known clothing brands. Photo: BRANDON BELL / AFP – The ground-breaking coverage by the BBC, combined with the lawsuit our firm filed detailing the circumstances, should be credited for these momentous arrests. This is the result of impressive investigative journalism, he says further. Denies the allegations – We will respond in detail to the allegations after the charges are released and when appropriate. We plan to do that in court, not in the media, says Jeffries’ lawyer to BCC. Smith’s lawyer has not responded to the newspaper’s inquiries. Previously, both lawyers have denied that Jeffries and his partner Smith have done anything criminal. In 2023, the clothing chain announced that it had opened an independent investigation into the allegations. Abercrombie & Fitch has also attempted to dismiss the allegations from the civil suit. The clothing chain claims it has no knowledge of the alleged human trafficking, which was financed by the company and led by Jeffries. Jeffries was head of Abercrombie & Fitch between 1992 and 2014. He retired with a $52 million retirement package. Published 22.10.2024, at 20.08 Updated 22.10.2024, at 20.21
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