Former CEO arrested, released on $10-million bond this week
The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch has been indicted on 16 federal counts of sex trafficking and international prostitution in New York, according to reports.
The indictment alleges that Mike Jeffries, alongside his partner Matthew Smith and associate James Jacobson, engaged in a sex trafficking scheme between December 2008 and March 2015 in which they would recruit men to engage in "sex events" by enticing them with modelling and career opportunities at Abercrombie, CNN reported.
During these events, the alleged victims were given poppers, alcohol, lubricant, Viagra, and condoms to perform sex acts. In some events, some of the victims were injected with a drug that would cause them to engage in sex in which they were "otherwise physically incapable or unwilling."
According to the reported allegations, Jeffries and Smith used their financial resources to run a secret network of international sex trafficking and prostitution businesses.
The pair would pay dozens of men to travel in the United States and internationally for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with them and others, according to the allegations.
Jacobson's reported role was to travel the world to recruit men for the "sex events" and conduct tryouts with potential candidates, which included also engaging in sex acts with him.
Many of the alleged victims were aspiring models, according to the prosecutors, as reported by CNN.
They were men who were reportedly physically groomed prior to joining the sex events and were led to believe that attending them would benefit their careers.
The alleged victims, some of whom were as young as 19, were not told of the full extent and nature of the sexual activity that would be required of them, according to the indictment.
They were also reportedly required to sign non-disclosure agreements to prevent them from sharing any information about the sex events, even with their own family and friends.
Jeffries and Smith made their initial appearances this week in federal court in the Southern District of Florida, CNN reported. Jacobson also made his initial appearance in federal court in St. Paul in Minnesota.
Jeffries was released on a $10-million bond, while Jacobson was released on a $500,000 bond. Smith, on the other hand, was ordered to be detained.
"We will respond in detail to the allegations after the indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but plan to do so in the courthouse – not the media," Brian Bieber, attorney for Michael Jeffries, told CNN.
Smith's attorney also echoed a similar statement. Jacobson's attorney, however, has yet to release a statement.
Jeffries was the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 until he stepped down in 2014. The company has yet to release a statement on the case.
