Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, his partner Matt Smith and a third man, Jim Jacobson, were arrested Tuesday as part of a criminal sex trafficking investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News.

The investigation concerned whether the men sexually exploited and abused young men at parties they hosted in the United States and around the world, the sources said.

Federal prosecutors acknowledged the investigation in January after alleged victims filed a civil lawsuit a year ago.

Jeffries, who transformed Abercrombie from a traditional Ohio clothing store into a powerhouse teen fashion brand, has been accused in civil lawsuits of exploiting young men for sex at parties he hosted at his Hamptons estate in New York, London, Venice and elsewhere with his partner. Smith.

The alleged victims have said they were recruited by an intermediary, Jacobson.

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

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

“The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has initiated a criminal investigation into the alleged events and occurrences discussed in the plaintiff’s complaint,” prosecutors said in a court filing.

“We will respond in detail to the allegations after the indictment is unsealed, and as appropriate, but intend to do so in the courthouse – not in the media,” Brian Bieber, attorney for Michael Jeffries, told ABC News on Tuesday .

The plaintiff’s attorney, Brad Edwards of Edwards Henderson, told ABC News in a statement: “As we detailed in our lawsuit, this was an Abercrombie-run sex trafficking organization that permeated the entire company and the three individuals arrested today allowed dozens and dozens of young, ambitious male models to be victimized.”

This is a development story. Check back for updates.