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Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO cites statute of limitations in defense against gay sex trafficking accusations

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Abercrombie & Fitch

The embattled former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries, has broken his silence over allegations he trafficked young men for sex parties he hosted around the world between 2009 and 2015.

In a legal complaint filed in October, Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith were accused of using A&F corporate resources to orchestrate a “criminal enterprise” for a “sex trafficking venture” during his tenure as CEO.

The lawsuit was filed by former model David Bradberry and other plaintiffs who also accused Jeffries and Smith of sexual misconduct and rape after being lured to Jeffries’ New York residence and other luxury hotels.

In new court filings, Jeffries is asking to have the lawsuit dismissed on the grounds that the claims are “meritless” and fall outside the statue of limitations, according to the BBC.

Mike Jeffries
Mike Jeffries at a NYC Abercrombie & Fitch store opening in 2005 (Photo by David Pomponio/FilmMagic for Paul Wilmot Communications)

In the statement, Jeffries’ lawyers said he “vehemently denies every allegation made against him” in the civil lawsuit, and “asks the court to look beyond the sensationalized narrative presented by the plaintiff, and to address the glaring legal deficiencies in the complaint, which necessitate the dismissal of this action”.

The civil lawsuit was initially brought on following a blockbuster BBC investigation in which Bradberry and other men detailed being recruited for the sex parties by Jeffries and Smith via a middleman named Jim Jacobson.

“Jim made it clear to me that unless I let him perform oral sex on me, that I would not be meeting with A&F or Mike Jeffries,” Bradberry told the BBC, per the NY Post.

Model and influencer Barrett Paul described being coerced into various sexual acts at these events.

“This experience, I think it broke me,” Pall shared. “I think that this stole any ounce of innocence that I had left. It mentally messed me up. But with the language I now have today, I can sit here and tell you that I was taken advantage of.”

While Jacobson denied any wrongdoing claiming the men went to the events “with their eyes wide open,” the alleged victims told the BBC they were intentionally misled.

“Half the men who told the BBC about their recruitment alleged they had been initially misled about the nature of the events or not told sex was involved,” wrote BBC correspondent Rianna Croxford. “Others said they understood the events would be sexual, but not exactly what was expected of them. All were paid.”

“Several told the BBC the middleman or other recruiters raised the possibility of modeling opportunities with A&F,” the report noted. “All except one said they felt harmed by the experience.”

The BBC investigation into Jeffries was highlighted in the documentary The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side Of Cool.

Beyond the civil lawsuit, the BBC has learned that the FBI has begun their own investigation into the allegations and is in the midst of issuing subpoenas to potential witnesses.

In regards to their involvement with the allegations, A&F filed a separate response to the civil lawsuit claiming they had no knowledge Jeffries’ alleged sexual misconduct or “supposed trafficking venture” until the BBC report was published in October 2023.

“As Jeffries himself stated through counsel in response to the BBC’s reports, the allegations ‘relate to his personal life’ and – to the extent they occurred – were carried out separate and apart from his work at A&F,” lawyers for the company said in the response.

This isn’t the first time A&F and Jeffries have been mired in controversy.

Back in 2022, the company was the focus of the Netflix documentary White Hot, which centered on the rise and fall of the retailer over claims of racism and sexual harassment during Jeffries’ run as CEO.

Jeffries ran A&F for over two decades and turned the brand into a multi-billion-dollar retailer known for its preppy clothing and highly sexualized (and homoerotic) marketing. He stepped down in 2014 over sagging sales and controversy over the company’s hiring practices.

Jeffries’ exit package reportedly included $27 million in cash and retirement benefits, but those have since been suspended per the company.

The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side Of Cool is available to stream in the U.S. via the BBC Select platform, as well as Apple TV, Prime Video, and Roku, while White Hot can be exclusively streamed on Netflix.

Related:

Megan Rapinoe, Gus Kenworthy, Ryan Russell star in Abercrombie campaign

There’s also a big ol’ bear model amongst the wealth of LGBTQ faces in the brand’s new campaign

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