Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO arrested on sex trafficking charges

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Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and two others were arrested Tuesday as part of a criminal sex trafficking investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors in Brooklyn.

Jeffries, his partner Matt Smith and a third man, Jim Jacobson, are accused of operating an international sex trafficking and prostitution business that recruited young men for parties in the U.S. and abroad, according to a 16-count indictment.

The former retail executive and Smith relied on their vast financial resources, Jeffries' power as the CEO of Abercrombie, and numerous people, including Jacobson and a network of employees, contractors and security professionals, to run a business "that was dedicated to fulfilling their sexual desires and ensuring that their international sex trafficking and prostitution business was kept secret," the indictment alleges.

Federal prosecutors said the trio allegedly paid dozens of men to travel around the world to engage in sex acts over at least a seven-year period, starting in late 2008. The indictment mentions 15 alleged victims, identified as John Does #1-15. Jeffries allegedly recruited, hired and paid a slate of household staff to "facilitate and supervise the Sex Events." Prosecutors and the FBI believe there are many more victims and asked them to come forward.

Jacobson allegedly traveled throughout the United States and internationally to recruit and interview men for the so-called sex events, according to prosecutors. During "tryouts" of potential candidates, Jacobson required that the candidates first engage in sex acts with him, prosecutors said.

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The indictment alleges that many of the men were coerced, led to believe that attending the events would yield modeling opportunities with Abercrombie or otherwise benefit their careers, or, in the alternative, that not complying with requests for certain acts during the sex events could harm their careers.

The defendants are charged with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. They are expected to make appearances in the jurisdictions where the men were arrested in Florida and Wisconsin before they're brought to Central Islip in Long Island, New York, at a later date for arraignment.

"We will respond in detail to the allegations after the Indictment is unsealed, and when appropriate, but plan to do so in the courthouse – not the media," Brian Bieber, an attorney for Jeffries, and Joe Nascimento, an attorney for Smith, told ABC News in identical statements.

Abercrombie & Fitch and an attorney for Jacobson declined ABC News' requests for comment.

Federal prosecutors had confirmed the investigation in January after alleged victims filed a civil lawsuit a year ago.

Jeffries, who was the chairman and CEO of the powerhouse teen fashion brand from 1992 to 2014, has been accused in civil lawsuits of exploiting young men for sex at parties he hosted at his Hamptons estate in New York, London, Venice and elsewhere with his partner, Smith.

One of the plaintiffs, David Bradberry, a former crewman on the reality series "Below Deck," said Jeffries made Abercrombie successful by the "oversexualization of young men."

His lawsuit accused Jeffries, Smith, Jacobson and Abercrombie itself of luring attractive young men under the guise of making them an Abercrombie model and then forcing them to take drugs and perform sex acts.

The plaintiff's attorney, Brad Edwards of Edwards Henderson, told ABC News in a statement: "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."

"Powerful individuals have for too long trafficked and abused for their own sexual pleasure young people with few resources and a dream – a dream of making a successful career in fashion or entertainment," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said Tuesday.