Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries pleads not guilty to sex trafficking charges
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries in 2003.
In short:
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has pleaded not guilty to charges he ran an international sex trafficking scheme.
Mr Jeffries entered the plea Friday afternoon local time before a federal judge in Central Islip, New York.
He is accused of one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of prostitution.
Mike Jeffries, the former longtime chief executive of Abercrombie & Fitch, has pleaded not guilty to charges he ran an international sex trafficking scheme while leading the clothing retailer.
Mr Jeffries, 80, who led Abercrombie from 1992 to 2014, entered the plea to one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts of prostitution before US Magistrate Judge Steven Tiscione in Central Islip, New York, in that state's Suffolk County.
Brian Bieber, a lawyer for Mr Jeffries, entered the plea on his client's behalf.
Mr Jeffries wore a navy blue blazer and light grey shirt, with no tie, to his arraignment.
He will remain free on $US10 million bond, but subjected to home confinement with GPS monitoring. Mr Jeffries posted his home in Fishers Island, New York as collateral.
James Jacobson, an employee of Mr Jeffries, pleaded not guilty through his lawyer to the same charges. His bail also includes home confinement and GPS monitoring, and a $US500,000 bond.
Mr Jeffries' partner Matthew Smith, a dual US-British citizen, has been ordered detained and will plead later to the same 16 charges.
Prosecutors said the alleged scheme ran from 2008 to 2015.
They said Jacobson acted as a recruiter, paid men to have sex with him, then chose who would be paid to travel to Manhattan, the Hamptons and several countries around the world to have sex with Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith.
Victims were led to believe that their efforts could lead to modelling jobs, but the scheme's true purpose was to fulfil Mr Jeffries's and Mr Smith's sexual desires without tarnishing Mr Jeffries's reputation, prosecutors said.
According to the indictment, victims were forced to consume alcohol, Viagra and muscle relaxants; use sex toys; and perform sex acts against their will. They were also required to sign non-disclosure agreements, the indictment said.
Dozens of men were victims, including 15 identified in the indictment, prosecutors said.
Each defendant faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted of sex trafficking and up to 20 years in prison if convicted of interstate prostitution.
The charges echo accusations in a 2023 BBC investigation and private litigation on behalf of Mr Jeffries's accusers.
Abercrombie has also been sued, but has denied knowing about Mr Jeffries's alleged misconduct. The New Albany, Ohio-based company was not charged in the criminal case.
M Jeffries built Abercrombie into a popular clothing brand focused on teen shoppers, using splashy, sexually charged marketing that included ads with semi-nude models.
He resigned amid falling sales and criticism he was losing his touch in keeping up with customers' changing tastes.
In an online post, Abercrombie said it was "appalled and disgusted" by the accusations against Mr Jeffries, and that it has since his departure "transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organisation we are today."
Reuters
By：https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-26/former-abercrombie-ceo-mike-jeffries-pleads-not-guilty/104521160(责任编辑：admin)
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