Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and an alleged accomplice, James Jacobson, pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges. They were advised by their lawyer and have been released on substantial bail amounts with travel restrictions and GPS monitoring. Another accomplice, Matthew Smith, remains in custody with no court date set. The trio is accused of running an international sex trafficking and prostitution business, using coercive tactics on aspiring models to participate in sex events. They employed staff to facilitate the events, administer contracts, and intimidate victims when necessary. Millions were spent on this enterprise, some victims were paid in cash, and witnesses were surveilled and silenced with the help of a security company. The operation was exposed via media reports and a civil lawsuit was filed against Abercrombie & Fitch and Jeffries over the allegations. Jeffries faced criticism during his time as CEO for the company’s use of mostly white models and selling controversial merchandise. The BBC report detailed allegations of Jeffries exploiting men at sex parties he hosted, leading to a lawsuit against him and the company. The case remains unresolved, and prosecutors have dozens of witnesses ready to testify against the trio. Jeffries has not publicly commented on the allegations, and the legal process is ongoing.
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