(MENAFN- Live Mint) The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries, has pleaded not guilty to charges of trafficking male models for his parties, US prosecutors said on Friday, October 27 (local time). Mike Jeffries signed a $10 million bail bond, using his New York home as collateral. He will be under house arrest with electronic monitoring as he awaits trial, reported the AFP.
Jeffries, 80, who was arrested on Tuesday, appeared in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, where he denied the allegations. The fashion executive was accompanied by his British partner Matthew Smith, who has also been charged with the sex crimes, and Jeffries' son, and wife.
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The ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO 's case dates back to 2023, when the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) opened an investigation, after the BBC revealed claims that Mike Jeffries and his partner sexually exploited and abused men at events they hosted in their New York residences and hotels around the world.
The BBC investigative film titled "The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool," found that there was a 'sophisticated operation' involving a middleman and a network of recruiters tasked with finding men for these events. Several men disclosed their experiences of signing non-disclosure agreements for events allegedly organized by Jeffries.
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Court sources indicate that Jeffries is prohibited from contacting his co-defendants, witnesses, or victims. The next court hearing is scheduled for December 12 before Judge Nusrat Choudhury.
Jeffries' and Smith's fixer Jacobson has also pleaded not guilty to the same charges and will remain under house arrest after posting a $500,000 bond.
'Force, fraud and coercion...'
While Smith has not yet been arraigned; however, a federal judge in West Palm Beach, Florida, ordered his detention on Tuesday, citing concerns he might flee due to holding a British passport.
Prosecutors in the case have alleged that between December 2008 and March 2015, Jeffries, Smith, and Jacobson used a mix of "force, fraud, and coercion" to traffic men in a vast prostitution operation.
Also Read | BBC claims former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch involved in sex trafficking
Fashion giant Abercrombie & Fitch has expressed being "appalled and disgusted" by the allegations against Jeffries and maintains a "zero tolerance" policy for abuse, harassment, or discrimination of any kind, reported AFP.
(with inputs from agencies)
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