Former Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is arrested for sex trafficking

Athena Stavrou
Tue 22 October 2024 at 10:24 am GMT-6·2-min read


ABERCROMBIE-&-FITCH-CEO ARRESTO (AP)

The former CEO of fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch has been arrested on sex trafficking charges following a major FBI investigation.

Mike Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and another alleged middleman were arrested on Tuesday morning in connection with a federal sex-trafficking and interstate prostitution probe.

The investigation was opened last year following claims that Mr Jeffries and his partner had sexually abused and exploited men at events in New York and around the world.


A lawyer representing some of the alleged victims confirmed the arrests in a statement to the BBC and said: “These arrests are a huge first step towards obtaining justice for the many victims who were exploited and abused through this sex-trafficking scheme that operated for many years under the legitimate cover Abercrombie provided.”

Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith have both previously denied any wrongdoing.

(BERTRAND GUAY/AFP via Getty Images)

The former boss of the international clothing company stepped down in 2014 following declining sales. He left with a retirement package valued at around £20.5m ($25m) according to company filings at the time.

He was then subsequently accused of running a sex trafficking operation. Under US law, sex trafficking includes getting an adult to travel to another state or country to have sex for money by using force, fraud or coercion.

David Bradberry, a former model for Abercrombie & Fitch, sued the fashion retailer alleging it allowed Mr Jeffries to run the alleged operation during his 22-year tenure at the helm.

Bradberry, then 23, said that it was “made clear” to him that without performing oral sex on the alleged middleman, he would not be meeting Mr Jeffries.

“It was like he was selling fame. And the price was compliance,” Mr Bradberry told the BBC.

ABERCROMBIE-&-FITCH-CEO ARRESTO (AP)

Mr Bradberry said he later attended a party at Mr Jeffries’s mansion in the Hamptons in Long Island where he met Mr Jeffries and had sex with him.

The lawsuit was filed following a BBC investigation that found that Mr Jeffries and his British partner allegedly exploited young adult men for sex at events hosted by them in London, New York, and Marrakesh.

It accused Mr Jeffries of exploiting his position to “ensnare” more than 100 male victims with free clothes and gift cards, and false promises about modeling opportunities, according to the Delaware complaint.

Abercrombie & Fitch in a statement in October said: “For close to a decade, a new executive leadership team and refreshed board of directors have successfully transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organization we are today.”

“We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind.”