Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Arrested on Sex Trafficking Charges: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEOMike Jeffrieswas arrested on federal charges related to sex trafficking, according to multiple reports.

Also charged was Jeffries' partner, Matthew Smith, as was an alleged middleman, according to the sources. The case is reportedly out of the Eastern District of New York.

Jeffries was at the center of a scathing documentary,The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool,which covered the many lawsuits alleging discriminatory hiring practices filed against the company under Jeffries' leadership.

Mike Jeffries.Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic

Michael Loccisano/FilmMagic

A 2023BBC investigationalleged that Jeffries and Smith were part of a “highly [organized] network” that involved a middleman who found young men to participate in sex events.

The BBC reported that eight men who said they attended the alleged sex events claimed they were exploited or abused. The U.K. news service also reported that attorneys for Jeffries and Smith previously “vehemently denied” any wrongdoing.

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Jeffries' was Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO from 1992 to 2014.

“For close to a decade, we have successfully transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organization we are today,” the statement continued. “We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind, and are committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement as the legal process continues.”

source: people.com