Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, is making headlines over his arrest. According to a new report, the ex-boss of the famous clothing brand was arrested on sex trafficking-related charges. The news broke hours before the indictment is expected to be unsealed.
Learn more about the case against Jeffries and his history with Abercrombie & Fitch below.
Who Is Mike Jeffries?
Jeffries is a businessman who previously worked as the head of Abercrombie & Fitch. He grew up in Los Angeles and sparked criticism for developing the brand’s “cool” exclusionary image.
When Did Mike Jeffries Work for Abercrombie & Fitch?
Jeffries was the Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 to 2014. He has been credited with the brand’s revival. After being hired in 1992, Jeffries dug the company out of a slump following its bankruptcy in the late 1980s. However, the retailer eventually faced controversy over its sexualized marketing choices, which Jeffries led. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the brand’s advertisements mainly featured shirtless male models wearing collegiate and upscale clothes. As a result, many criticized Abercrombie & Fitch’s all-white and all-male image.
In 2022, Netflix released a documentary titled White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch, which unraveled the company’s controversial marketing methods and racial hiring approach.
The following year, sex trafficking claims surfaced against Jeffries.
BREAKING: Officials detail the allegations brought against former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and others after their arrests in a criminal sex trafficking investigation. pic.twitter.com/pybpFIkzJW
— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2024
Why Was Mike Jeffries Arrested?
In October 2024, Jeffries was arrested on more than a dozen counts related to sex trafficking, CNN reported. According to the outlet, Jeffries was accused of engaging in a sex trafficking scheme to recruit men with modeling aspirations from 2008 to 2015. One source told the outlet that Jeffries and two associates, including his former partner Matthew Smith, would host parties where men were given drugs, alcohol and Viagra to perform various sexual acts.
Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, said in a statement obtained by CNN, “We will respond in detail to the allegations after the indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but plan to do so in the courthouse – not the media.”
The outlet further reported that some of the victims involved in the situation were as young as 19 years old. Many reportedly worked for or modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch locations.
