Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested on charges of human trafficking, accused of luring male models to participate in sex parties around the world. During a court appearance today, Jeffries, who is 80 years old and led A&F from 1992 to 2014, pleaded not guilty to one count of trafficking and 15 counts of sexual offenses.
According to reports from Reuters, Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, made the defense case before U.S. District Judge Steven Tiscione in Central Islip, Suffolk County, New York.
Dressed in a navy blue suit jacket and light gray shirt, with no tie, Jeffries mostly kept his gaze forward, fingers interlocked during the proceedings.
He has been granted the possibility of maintaining his freedom, albeit under strict conditions: a $10 million bail, secured by his residence on Fishers Island, New York, along with home confinement monitored by GPS.
Additionally, one of his employees, James Jacobson, has also pleaded not guilty to similar charges through his attorney. His bail conditions include GPS-monitored home confinement and a $500,000 bail.
Jeffries’ partner, Matthew Smith, who holds dual U.S. and U.K. citizenship, has been ordered to remain in custody and will respond to the same 16 charges at a later date.
Prosecutors allege that the crimes spanned from 2008 to 2015. Reports indicate that Jacobson acted as a recruiter, paying men to engage in sexual activities, then selecting several to send to locations including Manhattan, the Hamptons, and several countries around the world to meet with Jeffries and Smith.
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