Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Accused of Sex Trafficking

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and two others have been arrested on charges of sex trafficking more than a dozen men.  Jeffries, his partner Matt Smith and a third man, Jim Jacobson, are accused of operating an international sex trafficking and prostitution business that recruited young men for parties in the U.S. and abroad.

Former CEO Mike Jeffries and his former boyfriend relied on their vast financial resources, Jeffries' power as the CEO of Abercrombie, numerous people (including Jacobson) and a network of employees, contractors and security professionals, to run a business "that was dedicated to fulfilling their sexual desires and ensuring that their international sex trafficking and prostitution business was kept secret," the indictment alleges.

Federal prosecutors said the trio paid dozens of men to travel around the world to engage in sex acts over at least a seven-year period, starting in late 2008. The indictment, which cites15 victims, says that Jeffries recruited, hired and paid a slate of household staff to "facilitate and supervise sex events." Prosecutors and the FBI believe there are many more victims and asked them to come forward.

Jim Jacobson is believed to have traveled throughout the U.S. and internationally to recruit and interview men for the so-called sex events, according to prosecutors. During "tryouts" of potential candidates, Jacobson required that the candidates first engage in sex acts with him, prosecutors said.  It is also believed that many of the men were coerced, led to believe that attending the events would yield modeling opportunities with Abercrombie or otherwise benefit their careers, or, in the alternative, that not complying with requests for certain acts during the sex events could harm their careers.

One of the victims has filed his own civil lawsuit, which accused Jeffries, Smith, Jacobson and Abercrombie itself of luring attractive young men under the guise of making them an Abercrombie model and then forcing them to take drugs and perform sex acts.  The plaintiff's attorney told ABC News in a statement: "As we laid out in our lawsuit, this was an Abercrombie run, sex trafficking organization that permeated throughout the company and allowed the three individuals arrested today to victimize dozens and dozens of young, aspiring male models."

"Powerful individuals have for too long trafficked and abused for their own sexual pleasure young people with few resources and a dream – a dream of making a successful career in fashion or entertainment," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.