Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is in custody after being arrested in Florida on charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, according to multiple news outlets citing senior law enforcement officials.

In addition to Jeffries, who ran the popular retailer from 1992 to 2014, his partner Matthew Smith was also arrested in West Palm Beach, while an employee, James Jacobson, was arrested in his home state of Wisconsin. Both are being held on sex trafficking charges, NBC News reported Tuesday morning. All three are expected to appear in court on Tuesday and be charged at a later date, the network reported.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has scheduled a news conference at noon Tuesday to explain the investigation that led to the arrest of the three men on Tuesday.

In October 2023, the BBC published an investigation alleging that the CEO and his partner were at the center of a human trafficking ring, in which twelve young men said they were recruited to attend sex parties that the two would host and that sexual acts were performed performed for the couple. Some young men told the BBC they were abused during the events.

Jeffries was the driving force behind Abercrombie & Fitch’s success for more than two decades, after transforming the retail brand from an Ohio-based heritage store to a mega-brand targeting teens and young adults. The brand primarily targeted young men, placing male beauty and oversexualization at the forefront of its presentation, both in the store’s advertising and among its staff. Sales declined and Jeffries left the company in 2014 with a $25 million pension.

When he left, a pension fund that invested in the brand launched legal proceedings, claiming the company had paid out settlements to staff, a BBC Panorama investigation has found. It was unclear whether the complaints and payouts related to anything sexual.

The Hollywood Reporter has emailed Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, seeking comment on his arrest and will update this story if the message is returned.

This is a current news item and will be updated.