Sonali Ray, writer
Brief news
- Mike Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, was arrested in Florida on sex trafficking charges, alongside accomplices Matthew Smith and James Jacobson.
- Their initial court appearances are scheduled, with future arraignments in New York.
- A civil lawsuit previously accused Jeffries of exploiting aspiring male models, prompting ongoing legal actions against Abercrombie.
Detailed news
Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, was taken into custody in Florida and is currently facing accusations linked to sex trafficking, according to a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York, who expressed their statement to CNBC on Tuesday.
According to the statement made by the spokesperson, two of Jeffries’ accomplices, namely Matthew Smith from West Palm Beach, Florida, and James Jacobson from Wisconsin, are also being charged in connection with the investigation with the same charges.
The initial judicial appearance of Jeffries and Smith is scheduled for later Tuesday in federal court in the Southern District of Florida. The case of Jacobson will be heard in the Western District of Wisconsin of the United States District Court.
The spokesman stated that all three men will be arraigned in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Brian Bieber, an attorney for Michael Jeffries, stated in a statement to NBC News, “We will provide a comprehensive response to the allegations once the Indictment is unsealed and when it is appropriate. However, we intend to do so in the courthouse rather than in the media.”
Abercrombie & Fitch declined to provide a response to CNBC’s inquiry.
The news was disclosed hours prior to the scheduled news conference by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn to disclose the arrests of a “former CEO of a major company” and two others in a “sex trafficking and interstate prostitution case.”
The criminal case comes one year after Abercrombie, Jeffries, and Smith were sued in Manhattan federal court for allegedly failing to address the sexual misconduct of the former CEO.
In that federal civil litigation, Jeffries was accused of operating a sex trafficking organization that exploited young men who had aspirations of becoming models for the company.
The civil suit alleges that Abercrombie has already resolved numerous complaints from individuals, some of which were “related to improper acts of Jeffries or Smith, some of which were related to sexual harassment or abuse.”
In September, an amended complaint was filed in that case, stating that the BBC discovered that “Jeffries and Smith sexually exploited what is believed to be over 100 men during Abercrombie events they hosted around the world” following a 2023 investigation.
“Today’s arrests are monumental for the aspiring male models who were victimized by these individuals,” said Brittany Henderson, an attorney at Edwards Henderson, the law company that is representing the plaintiff in the class-action lawsuit. Henderson made this comment in a statement to CNBC.
“Their pursuit of justice is not concluded here.” Henderson stated, “We are eager to hold Abercrombie and Fitch accountable for their role in enabling this appalling behavior and to prevent it from reoccurring.”
From 1992 to 2014, Jeffries was the CEO of Abercrombie. During the course of the civil action, Smith was referred to as Jeffries’ long-term companion and as “someone with apparent authority who Abercrombie allowed to work extensively for the brand despite not holding an official position within the company.”
Source : CNBC News
