The former CEO of American fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch, Michael Jeffries, has been charged with sex trafficking in the U.S.
along with his partner Matthew Smith, and their former employee James Jacobson.
Prosecutors have accused the three men of “exploiting, abusing, and silencing… vulnerable men for their own sexual gratification”.
It follows a 2023 BBC investigation into Jeffries, Smith, and Jacobson.
Abercrombie
Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) is a U.S-based fashion retailer. It also owns the retail brand Hollister.
Jeffries ran A&F from 1992 to 2014. He wanted the brand to attract “cool, good-looking people.” During his time as CEO, A&F became associated with the young shirtless men it hired to greet customers outside its stores.
In a 2006 interview with the, Jeffries said: “A lot of people don’t belong [in our clothes], and they can’t belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”
Allegations
Last year, the BBC outlined allegations of sexual exploitation at A&F under Jeffries. Former employees and models described “parties” where men were told to perform sexual acts in exchange for career opportunities.
A&F has also faced legal challenges over its hiring practices. In 2005, it settled a racial discrimination class action brought by non-white job applicants.
In 2015, it lost a Supreme Court case for refusing to hire a woman who wore a hijab because she didn’t meet the company’s “look policy”.
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Charges
U.S. federal prosecutors have charged Jeffries, Smith, and Jacobson with sex trafficking.
They allege that Jacobson was employed to “hire men to perform commercial sexual acts for Smith and Jeffries”.
The three are accused of setting up an international sex trafficking scheme, recruiting men through “coercive, fraudulent and deceptive tactics,” including promising modelling opportunities at A&F.
Prosecutors allege Jacobson would conduct “tryouts” where young men would engage in sexual acts with him before attending “Sex Events”.
Men would arrive at the events – held in the U.S., UK, Europe, and Morocco – hand over all their clothes and belongings, and perform acts to fulfil Jeffries and Smith’s “sexual desires”.
Some of the acts were allegedly, and the men were told a failure to engage in sexual acts would hurt their careers.
They were then allegedly required to sign non-disclosure agreements to ensure their silence.
What now?
Jeffries, Smith, and Jacobson have all appeared in court and are expected to face a federal trial in New York.
Sex trafficking charges carry a minimum prison sentence of 15 years, while a separate charge of “international prostitution” carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
Jeffries’ lawyer Brian Bieber told U.S. media he plans to “respond in detail to the allegations” in court.
