Another major public figure has been arrested for sex trafficking. In the latest developments, former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries found himself in cuffs along with his partner, Matt Smith, and a third man, Jim Jacobson. They were taken into custody on Tuesday as part of a criminal investigation conducted by the FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.
Sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News that the arrests stem from a lawsuit filed last year by multiple alleged victims. In January, federal prosecutors acknowledged the investigation aimed at determining whether the men sexually exploited and abused young men at parties they hosted in the United States and around the world.
So far, the attorney for the plaintiffs, Brad Edwards of Edwards Henderson, has released a statement to the news outlet, saying, “As we laid out in our lawsuit, this was an Abercrombie run, sex trafficking organization that permeated throughout the company and allowed the three individuals arrested today to victimize dozens and dozens of young, aspiring male models.”
No further details have been shared at this time.
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These latest arrests come amid fellow mogul Diddy’s ongoing legal battles. As previously reported, the entertainer and businessman is currently jailed at a federal detention center in Brooklyn, awaiting trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
The indictment alleges that between 2008 and the present, Sean “Diddy” Combs not only abused women and men but also allegedly threatened and coerced them, leading a racketeering conspiracy that engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice, among other crimes.
His legal team has been closely monitoring these cases and allegations, releasing multiple statements. The latest one read, “The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded today’s barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity. Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman.”
Diddy has repeatedly maintained his innocence and is ready to clear his name during his trial in May 2025.
We will continue to keep you updated as this story develops.
