Former Abercrombie & Fitch Co. CEO Michael Jeffries, along with Matthew Smith and James Jacobson, has been indicted on charges of sex trafficking and engaging in interstate prostitution, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York. The 16-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court.
The authorities apprehended the three defendants earlier today. Jeffries and Smith are expected to make an appearance this afternoon in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, while Jacobson is slated to appear in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Jeffries served as the CEO of Abercrombie from 1992 to 2014, and the indictment alleges that during this period, he and Smith utilized their wealth and Jeffries’ position to run a sex trafficking enterprise.
According to the indictment, Jeffries and Smith financed the travel expenses for numerous men to various destinations. These included domestic locations like the Hamptons and New York City, as well as international destinations such as England, France, Italy, Morocco, and Saint Barthélémy.
The department stated that the defendants recruited men who had prior experience working at Abercrombie stores or had previously modeled for the brand.
The indictment states that Jeffries, Smith, Jacobson, and others, under their direction, did the following:
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- Employed a referral system and interview process that withheld details about the “Sex Events,” including the nature and extent of the sexual activities required of the men;
- Led the men to believe that attending these events could lead to modeling opportunities with Abercrombie or advance their careers;
- Implied that failing to comply with certain demands during the events could negatively impact their careers;
- Required participants to relinquish personal belongings, such as clothing, wallets, and phones, which were stored in an inaccessible location during the events;
- Mandated that the men sign non-disclosure agreements;
- On multiple occasions, when men did not or could not consent, Jeffries and Smith allegedly violated their bodily integrity by subjecting them to invasive sexual and violent contact using body parts and objects;
- Directed others, or personally injected men, with erection-inducing substances to force them to engage in sex acts they were unwilling or incapable of performing.
According to the department, if the defendants are found guilty of the sex trafficking charge, they could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Additionally, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years.
If found guilty of the interstate prostitution charges, the individual could face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
The department wants to make it clear that the charges mentioned in the indictment are simply allegations. They want to emphasize that the defendants should be presumed innocent unless there is concrete evidence that proves otherwise.
“Today’s arrests demonstrate the unwavering commitment of my Office and our law enforcement partners to ensuring that individuals involved in sex trafficking or interstate prostitution are held accountable, regardless of their socioeconomic status or influence. We will continue to tirelessly pursue justice for the victims and bring those responsible to face the consequences of their actions.”
