More men have come forward to accuse the former chief executive of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries, and his partner of sexual exploitation, with some alleging they were abused and injected with drugs. Luke, a former model, recalls being led into Jeffries’ hotel suite in Spain in 2011, expecting a photoshoot, and being met with a room decorated with erotic photos and assistants pretending to be shop workers. Jeffries and his partner, Matthew Smith, allegedly forced themselves on him, with Jeffries performing oral sex on Luke despite his protests.
In total, 20 men have now shared their experiences of attending or organizing events hosted by Jeffries and Smith from 2009 to 2015. The FBI launched an investigation following the allegations, uncovering details of a sophisticated recruitment operation involving a middleman and young men dressed in Abercrombie & Fitch uniforms who supervised these sex events. Attendees were allegedly injected with liquid Viagra by Jeffries’ assistants, leading to severe reactions, with some men reporting feeling pressured into sexual acts with Jeffries and Smith.
Diego Guillen, a former attendee, revealed that he was paid to make wake-up calls to men expected at these events and shared that there was a roster of attendees with up to 60 men listed on it at any given time. Many men, including Guillen, felt that while the events were sexual in nature, they were not exploited and were paid well for their involvement. Keith Milkie, another participant, detailed uncomfortable and painful experiences during these events, including being berated by Jeffries and pressuring into sexual acts he did not want.
The men’s testimonies shed light on the scale and organization of these events, revealing the involvement of Abercrombie & Fitch staff and assistants in running the operations. The company, along with Jeffries and Smith, is facing a civil lawsuit alleging the retailer funded a sex-trafficking operation over the two decades of Jeffries’ leadership. The former attendees describe feeling trapped in the events, with Luke experiencing shame and addiction as a result of his encounter with Jeffries.
Despite the allegations and ongoing legal battles, both Jeffries and Smith have denied any wrongdoing, with their lawyers emphasizing that the matter will be dealt with in court. The brand itself has stated that its current leadership team was unaware of the allegations until contacted by the BBC and condemns the alleged conduct by Jeffries and others. A&F is also conducting an independent investigation into the claims but has not provided details on when the report will be completed or if the findings will be made public.
The men who have come forward with their stories emphasize the power dynamics and fear that kept them silent for years, with Milkie describing Jeffries as projecting his image onto the entire country. Despite the challenges, these survivors are speaking out to expose the alleged exploitation they endured. A&F continues to defend itself against the civil lawsuit, maintaining that it was not aware of the sex-trafficking venture led by Jeffries and arguing against the allegations tied to his corporate role. The legal battles and investigations surrounding these events are ongoing, as the survivors seek justice and accountability for the harm they suffered.
