Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch head to be arraigned on sex trafficking and prostitution charges

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- The erstwhile CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is expected to beryllium arraigned Friday connected national sex trafficking and interstate adultery charges successful a New York court.

Prosecutors allege that for astir 2 decades, Michael Jeffries, his romanticist partner and a 3rd man lured men into taking portion successful activity parties by dangling nan committedness of modeling for nan clothing retailer, erstwhile celebrated for its preppy, All-American artistic and trading pinch shirtless antheral models.

In charges announced earlier this week, prosecutors opportunity immoderate 15 unnamed accusers were induced by “force, fraud and coercion” to prosecute successful drug-fueled activity parties successful New York, England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts betwixt 2008 and 2015. During nan events, nan men were sometimes directed to deterioration costumes, usage activity toys and strengthen achy erection-inducing penile injections, according to nan indictment.

The allegations echo intersexual misconduct accusations described successful media reports and made successful a civilian case against Jeffries, who left Abercrombie successful 2014.

Jeffries’ lawyer didn’t instantly respond to an email seeking remark up of nan Friday day quality successful national tribunal connected Long Island, wherever Jeffries is expected to participate a plea connected nan charges.

A lawyer for James Jacobson, an worker of Jeffries' besides owed to beryllium arraigned, declined to remark different than to opportunity his customer will beryllium pleading not guilty.

Jeffries was released connected a $10 cardinal enslaved aft appearing successful national tribunal successful West Palm Beach, Florida, connected Tuesday.

His partner, Matthew Smith, who besides appeared successful tribunal successful Florida, was ordered detained aft prosecutors raised concerns that nan dual U.S.-British national mightiness fly nan country.

Jacobson, who prosecutors opportunity recruited men for nan activity parties, was arrested successful Wisconsin and released connected a $500,000 enslaved during his first quality successful national tribunal successful St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jeffries took complete arsenic CEO of Abercrombie successful 1992, presiding complete nan improvement of nan institution from its roots arsenic a hunting and outdoor equipment shop founded successful Manhattan successful 1892 to a fixture of teen promenade civilization during nan early 2000s.

Abercrombie, successful a statement posted connected Instagram aft nan arrests, said it was “appalled and disgusted” by nan allegations.

The Ohio-based company, which besides owns nan clothing marque Hollister, said it has “transformed” its brands and civilization successful nan decade since Jeffries departed.

Abercrombie stopped utilizing “sexualized” photos successful trading materials and ended nan believe of calling shop staffers “models.” It hired an extracurricular rule patient past twelvemonth to behaviour an independent investigation into akin allegations against Jeffries.

“Speaking up and coming guardant is not easy, and our thoughts stay pinch those who person bravely raised their voices arsenic portion of nan national investigation,” nan institution wrote successful its connection Wednesday. “We person zero tolerance for abuse, harassment aliases favoritism of immoderate kind, and are committed to afloat cooperating pinch rule enforcement arsenic nan ineligible process continues.”

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Follow Philip Marcelo astatine twitter.com/philmarcelo.