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Revealed Oct 25, 2024 • 2 minute learn
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CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — The previous CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is anticipated to be arraigned Friday on federal intercourse trafficking and interstate prostitution expenses in a New York courtroom.
Prosecutors allege that for almost 20 years, Michael Jeffries, his romantic companion and a 3rd man lured males into collaborating in intercourse events by dangling the promise of modeling for the clothes retailer, as soon as well-known for its preppy, All-American aesthetic and advertising and marketing with shirtless male fashions.
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In expenses introduced earlier this week, prosecutors say some 15 unnamed accusers had been induced by “drive, fraud and coercion” to interact in drug-fueled intercourse events in New York, England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts between 2008 and 2015. Throughout the occasions, the boys had been typically directed to put on costumes, use intercourse toys and endure painful erection-inducing penile injections, based on the indictment.
The allegations echo sexual misconduct accusations described in media reviews and made in a civil case towards Jeffries, who left Abercrombie in 2014.
Jeffries’ lawyer didn’t instantly reply to an e mail in search of remark forward of the Friday afternoon look in federal courtroom on Lengthy Island, the place Jeffries is anticipated to enter a plea on the costs.
A lawyer for James Jacobson, an worker of Jeffries’ additionally because of be arraigned, declined to remark aside from to say his consumer shall be pleading not responsible.
Jeffries was launched on a $10 million bond after showing in federal courtroom in West Palm Seashore, Florida, on Tuesday.
His companion, Matthew Smith, who additionally appeared in courtroom in Florida, was ordered detained after prosecutors raised issues that the twin U.S.-British citizen may flee the nation.
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Jacobson, who prosecutors say recruited males for the intercourse events, was arrested in Wisconsin and launched on a $500,000 bond throughout his preliminary look in federal courtroom in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Jeffries took over as CEO of Abercrombie in 1992, presiding over the evolution of the corporate from its roots as a searching and out of doors items retailer based in Manhattan in 1892 to a fixture of teenybopper mall tradition throughout the early 2000s.
Abercrombie, in an announcement posted on Instagram after the arrests, mentioned it was “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations.
The Ohio-based firm, which additionally owns the clothes model Hollister, mentioned it has “reworked” its manufacturers and tradition within the decade since Jeffries departed.
Abercrombie stopped utilizing “sexualized” pictures in advertising and marketing supplies and ended the observe of calling retailer staffers “fashions.” It employed an outdoor legislation agency final 12 months to conduct an unbiased investigation into comparable allegations towards Jeffries.
“Talking up and coming ahead just isn’t straightforward, and our ideas stay with those that have bravely raised their voices as a part of the federal investigation,” the corporate wrote in its assertion Wednesday. “We now have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any type, and are dedicated to totally cooperating with legislation enforcement because the authorized course of continues.”
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Comply with Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo.
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