According to sources, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch has been arrested on sex trafficking charges

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CNN
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Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, has been arrested on sex trafficking charges, two sources familiar with the case tell CNN.

Two other Jeffries associates were also arrested as part of the case, which originated in the Eastern District of New York, the sources added.

The indictment — which includes more than a dozen counts — alleges that between December 2008 and March 2015, Jeffries and two other associates were involved in a sex trafficking operation in which they recruited men with modeling aspirations, a source said. According to a second source, they would also allegedly attend sex-themed parties where these aspiring models would be given drugs, alcohol and Viagra for sexual acts.

The other two defendants named in the indictment are Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, according to a source familiar with the case. Prosecutors allege that from approximately 2008 to 2015, Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson operated an international sex trafficking and prostitution business dedicated to fulfilling their sexual desires.

Smith, 61, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was the romantic partner of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries. Jacobson, 71, of Rice Lake, Michigan, was allegedly employed by Jeffries and Smith to recruit, interview and hire men to perform commercial sex acts for Jeffries and Smith, according to sources familiar with the case.

All three defendants were arrested this morning. Jeffries and Smith are scheduled to make their first appearance in federal court in the Southern District of Florida this afternoon. Jacobson was arrested in Wisconsin and will make his first appearance in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

They will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date, the sources said.

“We will respond fully to the allegations after the indictment is quashed and when appropriate, but we plan to do so in the courthouse — not in the media,” said Brian Bieber, attorney for Michael Jeffries.

Jeffries and Smith allegedly paid dozens of men to travel within the United States and internationally to various locations, including the Hamptons, New York City and hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and Saint Barthélémy, to perform sex acts with Jeffries, Smith and others, the source says.

Jacobson’s alleged job was to recruit and interview men for so-called “sex parties” that included alcohol, drugs and the use of Viagra.

During these so-called “tryouts” of potential candidates, Jacobson typically required that the candidates first engage in commercial sexual acts with him.

The men are accused of using a referral system and interview process for the sex parties, but failing to provide the men with details about what the parties would entail, including the full extent and type of sexual activity required of them would.

On more than one occasion, it is alleged that Jeffries and Smith directed others to inject or personally inject men with a drug to entice the men to engage in sexual acts, the source said.

Some of the victims were as young as 19, the source said, and in some cases they had previously worked at Abercrombie stores or modeled for Abercrombie.

Many of these men were pursuing modeling opportunities or hoping to further their careers, the source added.

Jeffries came under fire in 2023 after a BBC investigation found that the CEO and his partner Matthew Smith had used a middleman to recruit and exploit young men. Dozens of men filed a lawsuit against Jeffries and Abercrombie & Fitch last year, claiming the former CEO used his position at the company to exploit and abuse men. Abercrombie & Fitch said it was “appalled” by the allegations and launched an independent investigation into the matter.

Jeffries was CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 to 2014, when the company announced his resignation.

As CEO for two decades, Jeffries transformed Abercrombie & Fitch into a global teen and youth fashion brand, often with provocative marketing.

In 2006, Jeffries went viral in a Salon interview when he said, “We’re looking for the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and lots of friends.” A lot of people don’t fit in (in our clothes), and they cannot belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”

Once known as the star of 1990s teen fashion, Abercrombie faltered in the 2010s and was considered unfashionable by many Gen Zers.

In 2013, Abercrombie & Fitch gained notoriety after a petition on Change.org that received nearly 80,000 signatures called on the company to introduce larger, more inclusive T-shirt sizes. This year, Abercrombie & Fitch gave in to pressure and announced that it would offer some clothing in plus sizes.

Jeffries resigned in 2014 to cheers from fans who wanted to abandon his exclusionary vision for the company.

Correction: This story has been updated to clarify that Jacobson will be making his first court appearance in Minnesota.

This is a developing story and will be updated.