The former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and his romantic partner were arrested on charges of sex trafficking. The charges include “luring men into drug-laced, outlandish and coercive sex parties by dangling the promise of modeling for the retailer’s once-defining beefcake ads,” The Associated Press reported.
“Sexually exploiting vulnerable human beings is a crime. And doing so by dangling dreams of a future in fashion or modeling ... is no different,” Brooklyn-based U.S. attorney Breon Peace said at a news conference, per AP. He called the case a warning “to anyone who thinks they can exploit and coerce others by using the so-called casting couch system.”
The charges in the arrest include:
- One count of sex trafficking
- Fifteen counts of interstate prostitution
Jeffries was released on a $10 million bond, his partner Smith was “ordered detained after prosecutors raised flight concerns about his dual U.S.-British citizenship,” CBS News reported.
Mike Jeffries’ tenure as CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch
Jeffries was the CEO from 1992-2014 and was a major factor in the store’s messaging at the time of fitting in, being thin and hanging with the cool kids.
“While Jeffries was the CEO of one of the most recognizable clothing retailers in the world, he was using his power, his wealth and his influence to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure and that of his romantic partner, Matthew Smith,” Peace said in a Tuesday press conference, per CNN.
If you were a teenager in the ‘90s and 2000s, you likely have strong memories associated with the brand. It was a staple in the American mall and was the first of its kind to put up wooden shutters and dim the lights, making it so you had to walk inside the store in order to see the merchandise.
“The retailer had figured out a formula to sell the thing many youth crave the most — fitting in,” Deseret News reported.
Abercrombie & Fitch issues a statement about Jeffries
The brand has made strides in addressing some of the issues that arose during Jeffries’ tenure with the company. It issued a statement about Jeffries’ arrest Wednesday.
“As we shared when the accusations were first made public in October 2023, we are appalled and disgusted by the alleged behavior of Mr. Jeffries, whose employment with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ended nearly ten years ago,” Abercrombie & Fitch said in a statement, per CNN. “For close to a decade, we have successfully transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organization we are today. We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind, and are committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement as the legal process continues.”