James Jacobson, a 71-year-old man living in Ricke Lake, Wisconsin, was arrested on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, in connection to an international s*x trafficking indictment related to Abercrombie & Fitch ex-CEO Mike Jeffries. Jacobson was taken into custody alongside Jefferies and his partner Matthew Smith. All three are charged with s*x trafficking and interstate prostitution.
Michael Jefferies and his partner Matthew Smith are accused of leveraging “a network of employees, contractors, and security professionals” for the “purpose of engaging in commercial s*x acts with them and others." James Jacobson was accused of traveling throughout the United States and internationally to recruit and interview men for “S*x Events."
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In a press release, the New York United States Attorney’s office alleged Jacobson supposedly engaged in s*x acts with the men before recruiting them to gauge their suitability for the events. The incidents reportedly occurred between December 2008 and March 2015.
Mike Jeffries, who began running Abercrombie & Fitch in 1992 and stepped down as CEO in 2014, was indicted on 16 federal counts of s*x trafficking and international prostitution in New York alongside Smith and Jacobson.
What we know about James Jacobson and his connection to Mike Jeffries
The Barron County Sheriff's Department reportedly assisted the FBI on Tuesday in the arrest of James Jacobson. Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald expressed shock at the high-profile arrest of an individual” living in our backyard."
Fitzgerald described Jacobson as a “normal person” who was an active member of the community, attending fundraisers at church functions, etc. He added:
“So, yeah, I think this is a big shock to our community."
In 2023, BBC released a story and a series of podcasts alleging Abercrombie's ex-CEO of exploiting men for s*x. In the podcast, BBC alleged that former New York City resident, James Jacobson, lured and coerced men to engage in s*xual acts with former Abercrombie and Fitch executives Mike Jeffries and Matthew Smith. Jacobson reportedly moved to Wisconsin sometime after 2015.
Jacobson, who denied knowingly recruiting the men for s*x events, said he’d not had any communication with Mike Jeffries since 2015. At the time Jacobson told a BBC reporter the story was exaggerated for impact.
“Nobody did this without their eyes wide open. You’ve been told a lot of hooey. There was never any coercion. Bad decisions make for good stories.”
Jacobson added:
“I’ve had many experiences. Some, I wouldn’t repeat. Others I’d do again in a heartbeat. It’s like taking an inventory of your behavior. You have to own it.”
Charges against Mike Jeffries, Matthew Smith, and James Jacobson explored
Authorities said Jeffries, Smith, and James Jacobson recruited men under false pretenses, wherein the men believed that attending the s*x events could further their modeling career with Abercrombie and Fitch. The men allegedly believed that not complying with their demands could potentially harm their careers. A few victims had previously worked at Abercrombie stores or had modeled for the brand.
If convicted for the s*x trafficking charges Mike Jeffries, Smith, and Jacobson face a maximum sentence of life or a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. If convicted of interstate prostitution all three face a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Jeffries was released on a $10 million bond. Jacobson is being held in prison on a $500,000 bond.
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