Former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Mike Jeffries arrested on charges of sex trafficking: details
22 october 2024 в 19:37
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is back in the spotlight due to his arrest. According to a new report, the former boss of the well-known clothing brand was arrested on charges related to human trafficking. The news became known just a few hours before the expected disclosure of the charges.
Learn more about the cases against Jeffries and his history with Abercrombie & Fitch below.
Jeffries is a businessman who previously served as the head of Abercrombie & Fitch. He grew up in Los Angeles and faced criticism for creating the brand’s «cool» exclusive image.
Jeffries was chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 to 2014. He is credited with revitalizing the brand. After being hired in 1992, Jeffries led the company out of crisis following its bankruptcy in the late 1980s. However, the retail giant ultimately faced controversy due to Jeffries' sexualized marketing decisions. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the brand’s advertising mainly consisted of photo shoots with semi-nude male models in collegiate and luxury clothing. As a result, many criticized Abercrombie & Fitch for its entirely white and male image.
In 2022, Netflix released a documentary film titled «White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch», - which revealed the company’s controversial marketing methods and racial hiring practices.
The following year, human trafficking charges were brought against Jeffries.
In October 2024, Jeffries was arrested on more than a dozen charges related to human trafficking, CNN reported. According to the publication, Jeffries was charged with participating in a human trafficking scheme to recruit men with modeling ambitions from 2008 to 2015. One source told the publication that Jeffries and two of his accomplices, including his former partner Matthew Smith, hosted parties where men were offered drugs, alcohol, and Viagra to perform various sexual acts.
Jeffries' lawyer, Brian Bieber, stated in a statement obtained by CNN: «We will respond in detail to the charges after the charges are disclosed and when appropriate, but we plan to do so in court, not in the media».
The publication also reported that some victims in this situation were only 19 years old. Many of them, reportedly, worked or modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch stores
Learn more about the cases against Jeffries and his history with Abercrombie & Fitch below.
Jeffries is a businessman who previously served as the head of Abercrombie & Fitch. He grew up in Los Angeles and faced criticism for creating the brand’s «cool» exclusive image.
Jeffries was chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 to 2014. He is credited with revitalizing the brand. After being hired in 1992, Jeffries led the company out of crisis following its bankruptcy in the late 1980s. However, the retail giant ultimately faced controversy due to Jeffries' sexualized marketing decisions. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the brand’s advertising mainly consisted of photo shoots with semi-nude male models in collegiate and luxury clothing. As a result, many criticized Abercrombie & Fitch for its entirely white and male image.
In 2022, Netflix released a documentary film titled «White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch», - which revealed the company’s controversial marketing methods and racial hiring practices.
The following year, human trafficking charges were brought against Jeffries.
In October 2024, Jeffries was arrested on more than a dozen charges related to human trafficking, CNN reported. According to the publication, Jeffries was charged with participating in a human trafficking scheme to recruit men with modeling ambitions from 2008 to 2015. One source told the publication that Jeffries and two of his accomplices, including his former partner Matthew Smith, hosted parties where men were offered drugs, alcohol, and Viagra to perform various sexual acts.
Jeffries' lawyer, Brian Bieber, stated in a statement obtained by CNN: «We will respond in detail to the charges after the charges are disclosed and when appropriate, but we plan to do so in court, not in the media».
The publication also reported that some victims in this situation were only 19 years old. Many of them, reportedly, worked or modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch stores
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