The count indictment, which was unveiled by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, names as defendants Jeffries, 80, his partner Matthew Smith, 61, and James Jacobson, 71, who allegedly interviewed and recruited men to perform sex acts for Jeffries and Smith. Each of the defendants is charged with one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of interstate prostitution related to 15 unnamed victims.
Jeffries served as CEO of the clothing brand from to The indictment says between to , the three men operated an international sex trafficking and prostitution business that relied on Jeffries' wealth and power as the CEO of Abercrombie.
Dozens of men were paid by Jeffries and Smith to travel abroad and within the U. Prosecutors say the victims were often recruited under the guise of a modeling opportunity. Jeffries and Smith spent millions of dollars building an infrastructure to support their international organization that included a security staff to operate it. Much of the money paid for the victims' domestic and international travel as well as hotel rooms. Victims and witnesses were required to sign non-disclosure agreements to prevent them from disclosing information about the events and to keep them from seeking help.
On occasions when witnesses threatened to expose or sue them, a security company was used to surveil and intimidate those individuals to secure their silence. The indictment says Jeffries and Smith hosted "sex events" where men were pressured to consume alcohol and drugs. Prosecutors said Jacobson recruited and interviewed men for the events by holding "tryouts" in which he would have sex with the men before they were invited.
Jacobson also paid men who successfully referred others who were eventually invited to the events. The victims, including one as young as 19, say they engaged in sex acts under the guise of receiving a modeling opportunity with Abercrombie. Prosecutors said victims also believed declining an invite to the parties "could harm their careers. Mike Jeffries became president and CEO of Abercrombie in and soon morphed the small, struggling retailer into a must-have brand. The brand became synonymous with shirtless male models, some of whom worked in Abercrombie's dimly lit stores that were filled with the scent of its signature cologne.
