Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, 80, and his British partner, 61-year-old Matthew Smith, have been arrested and charged with human trafficking for sexual exploitation, according to a report from TMZ.
Jeffries, who led the company for over two decades, from 1992 to 2014, was arrested on October 22 in Florida, along with Smith and an alleged intermediary.
The FBI and prosecutors have promised to provide more details at a press conference on October 23. Officials from the Eastern District of New York announced a criminal investigation into human trafficking for sexual exploitation, sparked by allegations first brought to light in a BBC documentary.
The accusations suggest that Jeffries and Smith exploited and sexually abused men at events held in their New York homes and in hotels around the world between 2009 and 2015. Both men have denied the charges through their legal representatives.
Brad Edwards, a civil attorney from the firm Edwards Henderson, who is representing several of the alleged victims, confirmed the arrests and described them as “monumental.” He emphasized that the arrests mark a crucial first step in seeking justice for many individuals who were exploited through this sex trafficking operation, which allegedly ran under Abercrombie’s legal protection for years.
Edwards added that the arrests are particularly significant for aspiring male models who were victimized. He expressed his determination to hold Abercrombie & Fitch accountable for enabling such appalling behavior and to prevent it from happening again.
Abercrombie & Fitch is a U.S.-based retail company, founded in 1892 by David T. Abercrombie in New York City. It specializes in casual clothing and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio. The company also owns three subsidiary brands: Abercrombie Kids, Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks.
As of February 2020, Abercrombie & Fitch operated 854 stores across all its brands. While it was once known for its provocative advertising featuring mostly white, muscular models, the company has since shifted away from such imagery, opting for a more inclusive and less sexualized marketing approach.