Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries Accused of Sexually Exploiting Young Men

Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch, has been accused of sexually exploiting a young man.

The businessman is at the center of an investigation launched by BBC News which claims Jeffries and his British partner Matthew Smith were part of a “very [organized] network” that would use an intermediary to find young men for sexual events.

Mike Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch.

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Jeffries was CEO of the brand at its peak in the late 90s and early 2000s, after Les Wexner (whose portfolio included Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, The Limited and others) bought the company in 1988.

Former Victoria’s Secret models recall wearing provocative children’s underwear decorated with toys

In an article published on Monday, eight men told BBC News that they had attended the alleged sexual encounters and that some of them had also been exploited or abused.

“We are appalled and appalled by the conduct described in the allegations against Mr. Jeffries, whose employment with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. stopped in 2014, almost ten years ago. Speaking out and coming forward is not easy, and our thoughts are with those who have bravely spoken out,” an Abercrombie & Fitch spokesperson told PEOPLE in a statement.

Abercrombie and Fitch store in downtown Toronto.

Getty

“Since being contacted by the BBC, we have engaged an external law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the issues raised. The company’s current executive management team and board of directors were unaware of Mr. Jeffries’ allegations of sexual misconduct,” the statement continued.

The spokesperson also reiterated that Jeffries had not been associated with the brand for approximately 10 years.

“For nearly a decade, a new executive team and a refreshed board of directors have successfully transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organization we are today,” they added.

“We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind.”

Abercrombie & Fitch Responds to Upcoming Netflix Documentary: ‘We’ve Evolved’

PEOPLE was unable to immediately reach Jeffries and Smith for comment.

According to BBC News, Jeffries and Smith could face sex trafficking charges after two former United States prosecutors independently reviewed documents from the investigation and requested one of them.

Abercrombie & Fitch clothing.

Andy Wong/AP Photo

One person who gave his account of events was David Bradberry.

In 2010, he was 23 years old and met an alleged “broker” for Jeffries and Smith named James Jacobson.

“Jim made it clear to me that I wasn’t going to meet with Abercrombie & Fitch or Mike Jeffries if I didn’t let him perform oral sex on me,” Bradberry, then an aspiring model, recalled of the alleged conversation.

Abercrombie & Fitch model in New York.

Mark Lennihan/AP Photo

Bradberry also claimed he later attended a party at Jeffries’ former home in the Hamptons where drugs were involved and had sex with the former CEO.

Barrett Pall, a former model turned life coach and activist, also attended one of Jeffries’ events in the Hamptons.

I think this experience broke me, he said. “I think this stole what little innocence I had left. It messed me up mentally. But with the language I have today, I can sit here and tell you that I was used.”

In April 2022, Jeffries also came under fire when Netflix announced White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch.

Some of the topics covered in the documentary detailed the controversy surrounding the brand’s exclusive marketing practices, discriminatory hiring and accusations of racism.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the crisis line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

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Source: HIS Education