Who Is Mike Jeffries? Abercrombie & Fitch Trafficking Case

Mike Jeffries is the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, where he served from 1992 until 2014 and helped turn the retailer into one of the dominant youth-fashion brands of the 1990s and 2000s. Federal prosecutors charged Jeffries, his longtime partner Matthew Smith and recruiter James Jacobson in 2024 with operating an international sex-trafficking and prostitution enterprise that allegedly exploited young men between 2008 and 2015. Jeffries has pleaded not guilty. In August 2026, a federal judge ruled that the 82-year-old is mentally competent to stand trial, which is scheduled to begin in October.

Mike Jeffries Sex Trafficking Allegations

Jeffries Charged With Sex Trafficking And 15 Interstate Prostitution Counts. A federal grand jury returned a 16-count indictment charging Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson with one count of sex trafficking and 15 counts involving interstate prostitution. Prosecutors allege the men used force, fraud and coercion while operating an international prostitution enterprise between December 2008 and March 2015. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Prosecutors Say Dozens Of Men Were Flown Around World For Sex Events. The indictment alleges Jeffries and Smith paid for dozens of men to travel to sex events in New York City, the Hamptons and hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and Saint Barthélemy. Prosecutors identified 15 alleged victims in the indictment but said investigators believe there may be additional victims. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Men Allegedly Led To Believe Sex Events Could Produce Abercrombie Modeling Opportunities. Prosecutors allege prospective participants were led to believe attending the events might lead to modeling opportunities with Abercrombie or otherwise advance their careers. Some were also allegedly made to believe refusing requested sexual acts could damage their professional prospects. At least one alleged victim was 19, and some had previously worked or modeled for Abercrombie. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Recruiter James Jacobson Allegedly Required Men To Participate In Sexual “Tryouts.” Prosecutors allege Jeffries and Smith employed Jacobson to find and interview prospective participants. Jacobson allegedly traveled domestically and internationally recruiting men and typically required candidates to engage in commercial sex acts with him during what were described as “tryouts” before they could attend events involving Jeffries and Smith. [ABC News]

Prosecutors Say Men Were Not Told Full Nature Of Sex Events In Advance. The indictment alleges the recruitment and interview process concealed significant details about what attendees would be expected to do sexually. Prosecutors say some men arrived at events without understanding the full nature and extent of the activities that would be demanded of them. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Men Allegedly Required To Surrender Phones And Sign Non-Disclosure Agreements. Prosecutors say participants were required to hand over personal belongings including clothing, wallets and cellphones, which were placed somewhere inaccessible during the events. Men were also allegedly required to sign non-disclosure agreements as part of efforts to keep the operation secret. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Jeffries And Smith Accused Of Continuing Sexual Acts When Men Could Not Consent. The federal indictment alleges that on more than one occasion Jeffries and Smith subjected men who did not or could not consent to invasive sexual contact involving body parts or objects. The government alleges some participants were pressured to consume alcohol, Viagra, muscle relaxants known as poppers and other substances during the events. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Prosecutors Say Men Were Injected With Erection-Inducing Drugs. Authorities allege Jeffries and Smith sometimes directed others to inject men, or personally injected them, with an erection-inducing substance in order to facilitate sex acts. Reporting on the indictment said some injections allegedly produced painful reactions lasting for hours. [NY1]

Household Staff And Security Personnel Allegedly Helped Operate Sex Events. Prosecutors allege Jeffries and Smith relied upon a network of employees, contractors and security professionals to arrange and supervise the events and maintain secrecy. The government says Jeffries used both his substantial financial resources and his status as Abercrombie’s CEO in operating the alleged venture. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Mike Jeffries Arrest And Court Case

Jeffries Arrested In October 2024 And Pleaded Not Guilty. Federal authorities arrested Jeffries and Smith in Florida on October 22, 2024, while Jacobson was arrested in Wisconsin. Jeffries subsequently pleaded not guilty to the federal charges in New York. His wife and son helped secure a $10 million bond backed by his New York home, and he was placed on home confinement with electronic monitoring. [ABC News]

Sex Trafficking Conviction Would Carry Mandatory Minimum 15-Year Prison Sentence. The Justice Department said each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and as much as life imprisonment if convicted of sex trafficking. Each interstate prostitution charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years. [U.S. Department of Justice]

Mike Jeffries Competency Case

Jeffries Lawyers Argued Dementia Made Him Mentally Incompetent To Stand Trial. Jeffries’ defense attorneys argued that he suffered from cognitive problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia and a traumatic brain injury and required around-the-clock care. Defense experts testified that the problems were progressive and that Jeffries was incapable of adequately understanding the proceedings or assisting his attorneys. [Associated Press]

Jeffries Spent About Four Months At Federal Prison Hospital For Competency Evaluation. U.S. District Judge Nusrat Choudhury ordered Jeffries hospitalized at the federal medical facility in Butner, North Carolina, for evaluation and treatment. After approximately four months there, federal prison officials concluded in December 2025 that Jeffries was mentally fit to stand trial. [Associated Press]

Judge Rules Jeffries Mentally Competent To Face Sex Trafficking Trial. In an August 2026 ruling, Judge Choudhury found that Jeffries possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings and has sufficient ability to work with his lawyers. The judge relied on expert reports and testimony as well as hours of recorded telephone conversations Jeffries made while in custody. [Associated Press]

Jeffries Trial Scheduled To Begin In October 2026. The competency ruling clears the way for Jeffries to be tried alongside Matthew Smith and James Jacobson. All three have pleaded not guilty. Jury selection is scheduled to begin October 26, 2026, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for late August. [Associated Press]

Abercrombie & Fitch Response To Jeffries Allegations

Abercrombie Said It Was “Appalled And Disgusted” By Allegations Against Former CEO. Abercrombie & Fitch has said Jeffries left the company in 2014 and that it was appalled by the allegations that later emerged. The company has denied knowing about the alleged misconduct and was not charged in the federal criminal case. It previously hired an outside law firm to investigate allegations involving its former CEO. [The Guardian]

Civil Lawsuit Accuses Abercrombie Of Enabling Jeffries’ Alleged Trafficking Operation. Former model David Bradberry filed a proposed class-action lawsuit accusing Jeffries and Smith of sexual exploitation and alleging Abercrombie enabled the operation. The civil allegations echoed many of the claims that subsequently appeared in the federal criminal indictment, including accusations that aspiring models were led to believe sexual participation could benefit their careers. Abercrombie has disputed allegations that it knew about Jeffries’ alleged conduct. [CBS New York]