Fashion brand Abercrombie & Fitch is now embroiled in a legal battle following allegations of funding a sex-trafficking operation.
The lawsuit, filed in New York, contends that the company provided “unfettered access” to former CEO Mike Jeffries to support what is described as his “criminal enterprise.”
This legal action comes in the wake of a BBC investigation that explored claims suggesting that Mr. Jeffries exploited men at events hosted during his tenure as CEO.
Although Abercrombie & Fitch has been named in the lawsuit, the company has chosen not to comment on the ongoing case.
Likewise, Mr. Jeffries’ lawyer, Brian H. Bieber, has refrained from making any public statements, noting, “The courtroom is where we will deal with this matter.”
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In addition to the allegations against Abercrombie & Fitch, the lawsuit also accuses Mr. Jeffries and his British partner, Matthew Smith, of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct, and rape. Mr. Smith has yet to provide a response to these allegations.
The lawsuit was initiated under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which permits individuals to file civil claims related to sexual abuse, even if the statute of limitations has expired.
This lawsuit adopts a class-action approach, where one or multiple individuals sue on behalf of a larger group.
Brad Edwards, a civil lawyer who now represents some of the alleged victims, expressed: “Because of this lawsuit and the brave men that have come forward, Abercrombie will have to answer for its many unacceptable actions and inactions that have destroyed the lives of dozens of young men.”
Earlier this month, the BBC published findings from an investigation into a highly organized network responsible for recruiting young adult men for events involving Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Smith. In response to these revelations, Abercrombie & Fitch (which also owns the Hollister brand) expressed its dismay over Mr. Jeffries’ alleged behavior. Through his attorney, Mr. Jeffries declined to provide a comment.
The lawsuit, which was filed in the Southern District of New York, asserts that Abercrombie & Fitch knew or should have known that it was providing financial support to a sex-trafficking organization led by Mr. Jeffries.
These alleged activities occurred between at least 1992 and 2014, while he served as the company’s CEO.
It is claimed that Abercrombie & Fitch provided corporate resources, including a private jet, transportation, and significant amounts of cash to facilitate Mr. Jeffries’ sex-trafficking venture.
The lawsuit also alleges that this enabled him to amass new victims rapidly and that he had access to aspiring models.
The legal document states that Abercrombie prioritized profits and showed unwavering loyalty to Mr. Jeffries, even when faced with several indicators of criminality in his corporate account activity. Company employees were reportedly aware of Mr. Jeffries’ sexually exploitative and abusive conduct. A video, circulated within the corporate office, purportedly showed him “sniffing what was believed to be cocaine off a man’s penis.” Despite efforts to prevent wider dissemination of the video, the lawsuit contends that the company did little to discourage the behavior and, in fact, continued to financially reward Mr. Jeffries.
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