Former Abercrombie CEO's Partner Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charges

Matthew Smith, alongside Mike Jeffries and James Jacobson, faces allegations of coercing young men into exploitative sex acts between 2008 and 2015.

Matthew Smith, partner of ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, was released on a $10 million bond after pleading not guilty in a federal court in New York.
Smith, Jeffries, and alleged accomplice James Jacobson are accused of running a sex trafficking ring that recruited young men under false pretenses, including promises of modeling opportunities.
Prosecutors allege the operation involved at least 15 victims, with some subjected to coercive and violent acts, and suggest the scale of the crimes was likely far larger.
The alleged trafficking network spanned multiple countries, including the U.S., UK, France, Italy, and Morocco, and involved events where victims were reportedly drugged and exploited.
The FBI investigation was prompted by a BBC documentary, and Abercrombie & Fitch has since distanced itself from Jeffries, suspending his retirement payments and launching its own internal investigation.