Former Abercrombie CEO arrested in sex trafficking investigation

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, his partner Matt Smith and a third man, Jim Jacobson, were arrested in Brooklyn on Tuesday as part of a criminal sex trafficking investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News.

The investigation focused on whether the men sexually exploited and abused young men at parties they hosted in the United States and around the world, the sources said.

Federal prosecutors confirmed the investigation in January after alleged victims filed a civil lawsuit a year ago.

Jeffries, who transformed Abercrombie from a traditional Ohio outfitter into a powerful teen fashion brand, has been accused in civil lawsuits of exploiting young men for sex at parties he threw with his partner at his Hamptons estate in New York, London, Venice and organized elsewhere. Blacksmith.

The alleged victims said they were recruited by a middleman, Jacobson.

One of the plaintiffs, David Bradberry, a former crew member on the reality series “Below Deck,” said Jeffries made Abercrombie successful by “oversexualizing young men.”

His lawsuit accused Jeffries, Smith, Jacobson and Abercrombie itself of luring attractive young men under the guise of turning them into Abercrombie models and then forcing them into drugs and sexual acts.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has commenced a criminal investigation into the alleged events and occurrences discussed in plaintiff’s complaint,” prosecutors said in a court filing.

“We will respond fully to the allegations after the indictment is vacated and as appropriate, but we plan to do so in the courthouse – not in the media,” Brian Bieber, an attorney for Michael Jeffries, told ABC News on Tuesday.

The plaintiff’s attorney, Brad Edwards of Edwards Henderson, told ABC News in a statement: “As we have outlined in our lawsuit, this was a sex trafficking organization run by Abercrombie that permeated the entire company and allowed the three individuals arrested today .” Victimize dozens and dozens of young, aspiring male models.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.