What you should know about the sex trafficking charges against former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries

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Mike Jeffries, the longtime former CEO of fashion retailer Abercrombie and Fitch, was arrested Tuesday along with two other men after being accused of being the head of an international sex trafficking ring, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.

Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and a Wisconsin man named James Jacobson allegedly used the executive branch's “vast financial resources” and a “combination of force, fraud and coercion” to smuggle young men around the world, according to federal officials, according to the FBI and US -Prosecutor's office.

“As alleged in the indictment, former Abercrombie CEO Michael Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith, and their recruiter James Jacobson used their money and influence to exploit vulnerable men for their own sexual gratification,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York said in a statement.

Here's what you need to know about the indictment, originally filed on October 17:

Who is Mike Jeffries?

Jeffries, 80, was the retailer's CEO from 1992 to 2014.

He helped transform the storied American outdoor brand into a shopping mall leader by marketing his fashion to teenagers and young men and women using eye-catching tactics such as scantily clad models posing in front of stores.

He is charged in the indictment along with 61-year-old Smith and 71-year-old Jacobson, who allegedly served as recruiters for the men.

What are they accused of?

Between 2008 and 2015, the trio allegedly ran a massive human trafficking operation to locate, recruit and coerce young men into sexual acts at parties. According to the indictment, these “sex events” took place around the world in places such as the Hamptons on Long Island, New York City and hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and Saint Barthélémy.

Jacobson allegedly “traveled throughout the United States and internationally to recruit and interview men for the sex events,” the indictment says. He also allegedly had potential recruits undergo trial training during which they performed sexual acts on him.

The indictment alleges that Smith directed Jacobson to pay fees to people who recommended men who were later selected for the sex events.

In addition to Jacobson, an “exclusive group of domestic workers” also facilitated the alleged human trafficking and were accused of securing physical spaces for sex events and transporting men to and from the gatherings.

The indictment names 15 unnamed John Does who accused the trio of crimes, one of whom was only 19 years old. The men allegedly thought their participation would open them up to modeling opportunities at Abercrombie.

Once part of the trio's “business,” the men were “physically groomed,” temporarily given up personal items like wallets and cellphones, and signed nondisclosure agreements, prosecutors said.

At the “sex events,” the men, who were encouraged to wear costumes or prepare for certain sexual acts, were pressured to consume alcohol, Viagra and muscle relaxants called “poppers.” According to the charges, employees made sure they couldn't leave until Jeffries and Smith decided the parties were over.

Some participants were pressured into sexual acts to which they did not consent, and others had “a prescription erection-inducing substance injected into the penis to cause the men to engage in sexual acts that they would otherwise be physically unable or unwilling to perform.” The drugs caused some men to experience “painful physical reactions that lasted several hours,” the indictment says.

What did the defendants say about the alleged crimes?

The people named in the indictment have either denied wrongdoing or declined to comment.

“We will respond to the allegations in detail after the indictment is unsealed and as necessary, but we plan to do so in the courthouse – not in the media,” attorneys for Jeffries and Smith told ABC News.

Facing similar allegations last year, Jacobson told the BBC through a lawyer that he was annoyed by “any coercive, fraudulent or violent behavior on my part” and was “not aware of any such behavior by others.”

“Every encounter I’ve had has been completely consensual and not forced,” he said at the time. “Everyone I came into contact with who attended these events went in with their eyes wide open.”

What is the penalty for the charges?

The men named in the indictment are accused of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.

The charge of human trafficking for sexual exploitation could carry a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. The prostitution charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Have Mike Jeffries and Abercrombie ever been accused of wrongdoing?

The charges coincide with allegations of sexual misconduct against Jeffries and employees from a BBC investigation and a 2023 class action lawsuit against Jeffries and Abercrombie.

In view of the allegations from 2023, the company was “horrified and outraged” and commissioned an external law firm to investigate.

Bruce Weber, a fashion photographer who frequently worked for the brand, was once accused of sexual misconduct by six models, but the lawsuits have since been settled.

The documentary 2022White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch Details of alleged racial and sexual harassment related to the retailer.

What happens next in the case against Mike Jeffries?

Jeffries and Smith will make their first appearance in federal court in Florida today, while Jacobson will appear in a court in Minnesota today. According to the Justice Department, the men will be arraigned in federal court in New York at a later date.