Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch ANF, and his partner, Matthew Smith, have been accused of exploiting young men for sex at events they hosted.
BBC conducted an investigation into alleged exploitation events that took place between 2009 and 2015 in various locations, including New York, London, Paris, Venice, and Marrakesh. The report alleges that a well-structured network used a middleman to recruit young men for these events. Eight of these men claim they were exploited or abused.
Jeffries and Smith have not responded to the allegations. Meanwhile, the middleman involved denies any wrongdoing, stating the men entered these events “with their eyes wide open”.
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Abercrombie & Fitch, which also owns Hollister, expressed shock and disgust at the alleged misconduct. Two independent former US prosecutors have called for an investigation into potential sex trafficking charges.
Jeffries, once one of America’s highest-paid CEOs, stepped down from A&F in 2014 amid declining sales, leaving with a retirement package worth approximately $25 million.
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