Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries pleads not guilty in New York court on sex trafficking, prostitution charges
TOWN OF ISLIP, N.Y. -- Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries appeared in a Long Island courtroom Friday to face sex trafficking and prostitution charges.
He pleaded not guilty.
A judge granted him a $10 million bond package. Jeffries put up a Long Island home as collateral. His conditions of release include home confinement, electronic monitoring, and not being in contact with his co-defendants, witnesses, or alleged victims.
Three of his alleged victims were also in the courtroom. Jeffries looked back at them.
His wife and son were also in court.
He's due back in court on Dec. 12. He said nothing as he left court.
"It's been a long time, and I think it should've been - should've come out sooner," one of Jeffries' former employees said.
Jeffries was arrested earlier this week, along with his romantic partner Matthew Smith and another man, James Jacobson.
The 16-count indictment alleges Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson operated an international sex trafficking and prostitution ring from approximately 2008 to 2015.
Prosecutors say Jeffries and Smith paid for dozens of men to travel around the country and world "for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts."
"They spent millions of dollars on a massive infrastructure to support this operation," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Breon Peace said earlier this week.
If found guilty, they could face 15 years to life in prison.
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO arrested
Jeffries is accused of leveraging his position as CEO to lure young men into sex by suggesting they could become models for the fashion company. Abercrombie posted a statement on social media following the arrests, saying it is "appalled and disgusted" by the allegations.
Prosecutors allege Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson used "force, fraud and coercion to traffic those men for their own sexual gratification." They say victims weren't told about the sexual activity that would be required at various events.
Staff allegedly supplied those attending these events with non-disclosure agreements and took their phones to maintain secrecy, and then plied them with alcohol, muscle relaxants known as 'poppers,' Viagra, lubricant and condoms, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors went on to say that on several occasions victims did not or could not consent, and Jeffries and Smith "violated the bodily integrity of these men by subjecting them, or continuing to subject them, to invasive sexual and violent contact by body parts and other objects."
Matthew Smith & James Jacobson
Jefferies and his partner Smith were arrested Tuesday at Jeffries' home in Palm Beach, Florida. Jacobson was taken into custody in Barron County, Wisconsin.
Prosecutors say Jacobson acted as a recruiter and had "tryouts" with potential candidates, which "typically required that the candidates first engage in commercial sex acts with him."
Jacobson also appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea. He was released on a $500,000 bond. Smith was ordered detained after prosecutors raised flight concerns about his dual U.S.-British citizenship.
Feds ask other victims to come forward
The indictment lists 15 victims, but prosecutors say the case involves "dozens and dozens of men."
Former model Barret Pall says he auditioned to be a model for Jacobson and was flown to Jeffries' home in New York.
"I thought that I was being given Abercrombie clothes to go into an Abercrombie interview, and it was not the interview I expected. And it was the darkest experience of my life," he said.
Pall added, "I didn't feel free. I didn't feel like I could say no or that I could just walk away. I felt like I was trapped."
The FBI asks anyone who believes they are a victim or has information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
