In some shocking news, Mike Jeffries (81), former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, along with his partner Matthew Smith (61) and a third person, Jim Jacobson were arrested on charges of s*x trafficking and pr*stituti*n on 22nd October.
The allegations originally surfaced in October 2023, following a BBC investigation, during which eight men stepped forward, claiming they had been mistreated and s*xually exploited by Mike Jeffries and Matthew Smith in previous encounters at parties they used to host in their New York residences and hotels around the world.
Trending
Mike Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith have both denied the allegations levied against them and are set to appear in a federal court.
On Tuesday, Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, accused Mike Jeffries of using his wealth and power as the CEO of A&F to 'traffic men for his own sexual pleasure and for his partner, Matthew Smith.
Peace explained that the couple hired Mr. Jacobson as a recruiter to find men from around the world, who would engage in sexual acts in exchange for money. Once Mike Jeffries approved the men, they were flown to his New York home, where he claimed they were pressured to drink alcohol and take drugs like Viagra and muscle relaxants.
According to prosecutors, the former CEO spent millions to support this operation and keep it secret, covering things like international travel, hotel stays, staff salaries, and security for the events.
More about Matthew Smith, long-time partner of Mike Jeffries
Matthew Smith has reportedly been the partner of the former CEO of Abercrombie, Mike Jeffries for over 20 years. While Mike Jeffries was CEO, Smith was also a part of Abercrombie and Finch and played a crucial role in shaping the brand's image and marketing strategies. Although he has a background in agriculture and food marketing, he played various roles for Abercrombie.
In the early 1990s, Matthew reportedly operated The Matthew Smith Clinic, an organic hair salon. Former employees of the salon also alleged on a BBC audio program - World Of Secrets Season 1: The Abercrombie Guys - that Smith exclusively recruited women to cut hair, while men held managerial roles and all staff were obliged to wear Abercrombie & Fitch branded apparel.
Apart from working alongside Mike Jeffries at Abercrombie & Fitch, Smith was also in charge of the Jeffries Family Office. Smith was also part of the BBC Panorama documentary titled The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool. In the documentary, Jeffries' former assistant, Katie Hertert, commented on Smith, saying:
"I can't think of a time where Mike went anywhere independently of Matthew."
She described Matthew as:
"A British gentleman, who was just polite and kind and easy going... Mike brought a lot of intensity into anything that he did. And Matthew was very chill in comparison."
Even though Matthew Smith was never officially hired by Abercrombie & Fitch, he was still seen as a very important person in how the brand was run until Jeffries stepped down as CEO in 2014. In 2013, some current and former bosses of Abercrombie & Fitch told BuzzFeed that Smith had a lot of power and influence over the company. He also enforced some strict office rules for the staff at Mike Jeffries' request.
Even though Smith had access to important company documents, Mike Jeffries never officially told the shareholders about his involvement in the business.
Reply
