1 month ago
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The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, A&F, and his partner have been arrested and charged with running a prostitution and international sex trafficking business.
The BBC is reporting that the authorities arrested former fashion executive Mike Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and the couple’s alleged middleman – James Jacobson – on Tuesday morning.
Federal prosecutors said the men used force, fraud and coercion to engage in “violent and exploitive” sexual acts.
Mr Jeffries and his partner have previously denied any wrongdoing via their lawyers, and Mr Jeffries’ lawyer told the BBC on Tuesday that they would “respond in detail to the allegations after the Indictment is unsealed”.
The FBI opened an investigation last year after the BBC revealed claims that Jeffries and his partner sexually exploited and abused men at events they hosted in their New York residences and hotels around the world.
The BBC investigation found that there was a sophisticated operation involving a middleman and a network of recruiters tasked with finding men for these events.
On Tuesday, US attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, alleged that Mr Jeffries used his wealth, power and status as CEO of A&F “to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure” and for the pleasure of his partner, Mr Smith.
English (US) ·