By Anthony Marcus, correspondent for Eurasia Business News, on October 22, 2024. Article n°1265.

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested in connection with a sex trafficking investigation. The FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn apprehended today Jeffries, his partner Matt Smith, and a third individual, Jim Jacobson, on October 22.

This arrest follows an ongoing investigation into allegations that the trio exploited and abused young men at parties they hosted both in the U.S. and internationally. The investigation gained momentum after alleged victims filed a civil lawsuit last year, prompting federal prosecutors to acknowledge the inquiry in January 2024.

According to statements from the plaintiffs’ attorney, Brad Edwards, the allegations suggest that the activities constituted a “sex trafficking organization” that operated under the guise of Abercrombie & Fitch, allowing numerous young male models to be victimized.

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

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His lawsuit accused Jeffries, Smith, Jacobson and Abercrombie itself of luring attractive young men under the guise of making them an Abercrombie model and then forcing them to take drugs and perform sex acts.

Legal representatives for Jeffries and Smith have previously denied any wrongdoing. The FBI’s inquiry reportedly uncovered a network involving recruiters who sourced young men for these events, raising concerns about the scale of the alleged exploitation. Further details are expected to be released in an upcoming press briefing by law enforcement officials.

Evidence against former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and his accomplices has emerged from various investigations and legal actions. 

A civil lawsuit filed by former Abercrombie model David Bradberry outlines a “sex trafficking venture” led by Jeffries from 1992 to 2014. The lawsuit claims that Jeffries preyed on young men, promising modeling opportunities while coercing them into sexual acts after drugging them. Victims were allegedly required to sign non-disclosure agreements and were manipulated into compliance through promises of career advancement.

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© Copyright 2024 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1265.