close
close

first Drop

Com TW NOw News 2024

    • Ex-Abercrombie CEO accused of sex trafficking of male models
    news

    Ex-Abercrombie CEO accused of sex trafficking of male models

    Vaseline Posted on

    play

    Michael Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, was arrested and faces charges along with two others of carrying out a secretive international sex trafficking scheme that lasted years, cost millions of dollars and left dozens of victims, prosecutors said Tuesday.

    Jeffries, who was CEO of the clothing company from 1992 to 2014, and Matthew Smith of West Palm Beach and James Jacobson of Wisconsin, were charged with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, said Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. New York, said at a news conference.

    The operation involved transporting young, ambitious male models to events in New York City and other places around the world and forcing them to have sex. The men believed that participating in the events would lead to modeling opportunities and further their careers.

    “For anyone who thinks they can exploit and coerce others by using this so-called casting couch system, this case should serve as a warning: prepare to trade that couch for a bed in federal prison,” Peace said .

    More: The Fitch is Back: How Abercrombie sparked a renaissance by appealing to millennials

    Brian Bieber, Jeffries’ attorney, said in a statement to USA TODAY that they will respond to the allegations “after the indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but that they intend to do so at the courthouse – not in the media.”

    According to the BBC, Jeffries’ legal representation has previously “vehemently denied” any wrongdoing.

    Abercrombie said last year it was “shocked and disgusted” and hired a law firm to investigate allegations in a BBC report that Jeffries recruited young men for sex. The company declined to comment on Jeffries’ arrest and did not immediately respond to questions about the status of the independent investigation into the allegations against him.

    If convicted of the sex trafficking charge, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison, said John Marzulli, a Peace office spokesman. The interstate prostitution charges carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.

    Jeffries trafficked men around the world, the indictment alleges

    Peace said the indictment alleges in explicit and disturbing detail that Jeffries, while CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch, “used his power, his wealth and his influence to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure and that of his romantic partner, Smith .”

    Jeffries and Smith hired Jacobson as a “recruiter” to find men and pay them for sex acts, Peace said. Smith would personally select men who would be flown to the couple’s homes in the Hamptons or to hotels around the world “to engage in commercial sex,” Peace said.

    The defendants allegedly deployed a “secret staff” to organize events where victims were supplied with drugs and alcohol and coerced into sexual activity. Staff are said to have helped keep the events secret by arranging for the men to hand over their phones and sign non-disclosure agreements.

    Peace said they led the men to believe that not meeting their demands would damage their careers, and if they were unwilling or unable to agree, Jeffries and Smith would forcibly subject them to violent sexual contact.

    Peace said the illegal operation lasted from at least 2008 to 2015 and required millions of dollars to support the massive infrastructure and maintain secrecy. Although the indictment identifies only 15 men as John Does, Peace prosecutors believe “dozens and dozens” of victims were involved. He thanked the victims for coming out and encouraged others to contact the FBI.

    “These types of prosecutions are truly impossible without the courage of victims who are willing to report to police what happened to them,” Peace said.

    Jeffries and Abercrombie are also facing a lawsuit

    The news comes after a group of once-aspiring male models from Abercrombie & Fitch filed a class action lawsuit against Jeffries and Abercrombie last year, claiming the retailer looked the other way while Jeffries ran a sex trafficking ring and killed countless young men sexually abused.

    Brad Edwards, an attorney representing the men in the case, said: “All four defendants, including Abercrombie and Fitch, have made every effort to delay the progression of our lawsuit, presumably because they knew this would lead to criminal arrests.” would lead.”

    The proposed class action, filed by former model David Bradberry in Manhattan federal court, alleges that Jeffries forced models to use drugs and engage in sex acts with him and others for the opportunity to appear in Abercrombie’s provocative catalogs . The lawsuit alleged that company officials knew about the conduct and that Abercrombie paid settlements to people who accused Jeffries of sexual abuse or harassment.

    “In exchange for providing the position of power and unfettered access to corporate funds that Jeffries needs to sexually terrorize aspiring male models, Abercrombie knowingly profited from and received valuables from Jeffries and his sex trafficking operation, including the value that Jeffries himself brought to the brand,” the lawsuit said.

    Brittany Henderson, another attorney representing some of the aspiring models, called Tuesday’s arrests “monumental” in a statement to USA TODAY.

    “Their fight for justice does not end here,” Henderson said. “In addition to supporting the criminal prosecution, our clients look forward to holding Abercrombie and Fitch accountable for facilitating this terrible behavior and ensuring it cannot happen again.”

    Late last year, Jeffries sued his former employer for refusing to cover his costs from the lawsuit. A judge ruled earlier this year that the allegations were related to Jeffries’ business role and that the retailer must cover the costs of his legal defense, the BBC reported.

    Who is Michael Jeffries?

    Jeffries became president and CEO of Abercrombie in 1992 when the small, money-losing chain previously known for selling sporting goods and clothing was part of Leslie H. Wexner’s retail empire, then called The Limited. Jeffries became chairman in 1996 and The Limited spun off the chain into an independent company in 1998.

    Jeffries was credited with turning the retailer into a successful teen clothing maker known for its cologne-filled stores and advertisements featuring semi-nude models. Jeffries became one of the highest-paid CEOs in the US, at one point earning a salary package estimated at more than $140 million.

    Jeffries, who also owns the Hollister Co. brand. of Abercrombie & Fitch, said the retailer’s clothing was inspired by California’s laid-back lifestyle and aimed at teens and young adults. The branding led to explosive growth.

    But the company stirred controversy under his leadership.

    Abercrombie produced a hybrid magazine catalog featuring partially nude models with articles like “Drinking 101,” made T-shirts with phrases that insulted various groups, and went years without selling larger clothing as a way to cultivate an image.

    An age discrimination lawsuit in 2012 exposed the existence of an aircraft standards manual that prescribed how the models and actors who served Jeffries on the company plane should dress and behave. The men had to be clean-shaven and wear boxer shorts, flip-flops and a dash of the chain’s signature scent.

    He abruptly retired in 2014 at the age of 70 after seemingly losing touch with the retailer’s teen audience amid several years of declining sales.

    Abercrombie’s legal troubles with California

    In 2003, Abercrombie & Fitch settled for $2.2 million with California state labor regulators for forcing employees to buy the company’s clothing to work at the retailer. The settlement required the company to reimburse former employees because they were forced to buy clothing from the company. It also allowed employees to wear logo-free clothing that matched the season and A&F’s style.

    The state found that the company had violated California’s labor uniform law, which requires employers to provide clothing when they require employees to wear specific clothing.

    Over the years, Abercrombie & Fitch has also faced employment discrimination charges.

    Vaseline
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like