Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO pleads not guilty to sex trafficking and prostitution charges

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — The erstwhile longtime CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch pleaded not blameworthy Friday to national sex trafficking and interstate adultery charges.

Michael Jeffries, 80, declined to remark aft he entered nan plea successful national tribunal successful Central Islip, connected Long Island. He is free connected $10 cardinal enslaved and is owed backmost successful tribunal connected Dec. 12.

Prosecutors allege that for years, Jeffries, his romanticist partner and a 3rd man, 71-year-old James Jacobson, 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.

Jacobson, who was an worker of Jeffries erstwhile prosecutors opportunity nan crimes occurred, besides pleaded not blameworthy and declined to speak to reporters afterward.

In charges announced earlier this week, prosecutors opportunity 15 accusers were induced by “force, fraud and coercion” to prosecute successful drug-fueled activity parties successful which nan men were sometimes directed to deterioration costumes, usage activity toys and strengthen achy erection-inducing penile injections.

The events took spot betwixt 2008 and 2015 successful nan Hamptons, nan able summertime edifice connected Long Island wherever Jeffries has a home, arsenic good arsenic astatine hotels successful England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts, 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 aft starring nan institution for much than 2 decades.

Jeffries was released connected enslaved aft appearing Tuesday successful national tribunal successful West Palm Beach, Florida. His enslaved is secured by a spot he and his woman ain connected pricey Fisher Island, adjacent Miami.

Jeffries’ partner, 61-year-old Matthew Smith, who besides appeared successful tribunal successful Florida, was ordered detained aft prosecutors raised concerns that nan dual American and British national mightiness fly nan country. No day has been group for Smith’s arraignment.

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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