BBC Panorama claims Abercrombie & Fitch fashion boss recruited for 'sex events'
The former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO, Mike Jeffries, has been accused of exploiting young men for sex at events he hosted in his New York residences and luxurious hotels around the world following a special Panorama investigation.
Following a near three-year investigation, the BBC programme claims to have spoked to eight men who say they attended these events, with some claiming to the broadcaster that they were exploited or abused. Half the men recruited alleged that they were initially misled about the nature of the events or not told sex was expected. Others said they understood the events would involve sex, but not exactly what was expected of them.
Two former US prosecutors, who independently reviewed documents and testimony uncovered by the BBC, have called for an investigation to determine whether charges for sex trafficking should be brought. Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith did not respond to the BBC's repeated requests for comment, the national broadcaster says.
A&F told the BBC it was "appalled and disgusted" by Mr Jeffries alleged behaviour. The fashion brand added new leadership has transformed the company into "the values-driven organization we are today" and it has "zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind".
Mike Jeffries pictured at the annual National Retail Federation conference in New York in 2009 (AP)The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool, is on BBC One tonight at 9pm and will air multiple allegations against Mr Jeffries and his British partner Matthew Smith. Mr Jeffries became one of America's highest-paid CEOs during his time at the helm at A&F before stepping down from his position in 2014 amid declining sales and share price.
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The Panorama investigation claims to have spoken to 12 men who described attending or organising events involving sex acts run for Mr Jeffries, 79, and his British partner Mr Smith, 60. The eight men who attended the events allege to the BBC show that they were recruited by a middleman, who they described as missing part of his nose, which he covered with a snakeskin patch - and who the BBC identified as James Jacobson.
Half the men reportedly recruited alleged that they were initially misled about the nature of the events or not told sex was expected. Others said they understood the events would involve sex, but not exactly what was expected of them. Several told the BBC the possibility of modelling opportunities with A&F was raised before they met Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith. All except one said they felt harmed by the experience.
Other allegations made against Mr Jeffries in the BBC programme allege "recruiters" would find men to attend Mr Jeffries events and receive between $500 and $1,000 from Mr Jacobson for every successful referral, an allegation a personal "groomer" was hired to intimately shave body hair from men attending events and claims from the men interviewed for the programme that they were required to sign non-disclosure agreements.
Mr Jeffries stepped down from his role at A&F in 2014 (AP)The BBC also allege that small group of Mr Jeffries' personal staff, who wore A&F uniforms, supervised the men – including in the bedroom - and handed them money afterwards.
Speaking to the BBC, David Bradberry, then 23, said he was introduced to Mr Jacobson by an agent who described him as the gatekeeper to "the owners" of A&F in 2010, but said there was no mention of sex. He goes on the allege to Panorama journalists that their meeting, he said Mr Jacobson suggested Bruce Weber - then A&F's official photographer - should take his picture. Then, Mr Bradberry said, "Jim made it clear to me that unless I let him perform oral sex on me, that I would not be meeting with Abercrombie & Fitch or Mike Jeffries."
"I was paralysed," he says. "It was like he was selling fame. And the price was compliance." Mr Bradberry added his belief that he had been made to believe "this is where everybody gets their start". He goes on to allege that Mr Jacobson gave him $500 and allegedly told him it was for his time. Looking back, he said this incident should have been "a red flag" but he thought Mr Jacobson "was just a creepy old dude that I wouldn't have to see again".
Mr Bradberry then alleges he was presented with an A&F gift-card to buy an outfit, which he said made it feel "legitimate" and "official". He continues to claim that he spoke with Mr Jeffries and Mr Bradberry at the Hamptons about his aspirations to be an A&F model. He alleges Mr Jeffries later held "poppers" under his nose - a drug which can cause a strong head-rush and disorientation - and later had sex with him.
The BBC claims to have spoken with men who attended these events, reporting they have been told the parties involved Mike Jeffries and Matthew Smith engaging in sexual activity with about four men or "directing" them to have sex with each other. Afterwards, the men said they were given envelopes filled with thousands of dollars in cash.
Panorama and the BBC claim to have corroborated the men's testimonies about the organisation of these events with emails, flight tickets and detailed itineraries sent by Mr Jacobson, as well as interviews with former household staff.
Domestic staff who worked in Mr Jeffries' former Hamptons home allege to the BBC they were instructed to leave the premises every Saturday afternoon for several years, leading some to believe something strange was taking place. One former staffer told BBC journalists he understood it was because his boss was having "playtime".
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Speaking to the BBC, Barrett Pall, a former model turned life coach and activist, said he felt pressured into attending an event in the Hamptons in 2011. Then 22, he alleges he was recruited by an older model, who received a referral fee, to be his "replacement" for "some sort of sexual experience" with the couple.
He claims the older model told him that "you don't have to do anything you don't want to do" but suggested that "the further you go, the better", and alluded to career opportunities. When he arrived at the event, with staff supervising, he felt under pressure to "perform". "How was I going to leave? I didn't have a car," he says. "I had a chaperone sitting and watching me."
A civil lawyer who examined the BBC's evidence says US prosecutors should investigate whether what these “brave men” describe could be sex trafficking. Brad Edwards says: "There may have been evidence of coercion for some of the men, whereas others might not have felt the coercive tactics. Remember, coercion is the reasonable belief that serious harm will be inflicted and serious harm could be reputational harm, financial harm, physical harm."
Elizabeth Geddes, who was a federal prosecutor for more than 15 years and also reviewed the BBC's findings and added: "There's certainly an argument that these young men were subjected to potential coercion. I think there are grounds for a prosecutor to open an investigation and look closely at this conduct to determine if a criminal prosecution is warranted."
Mr Jacobson - accused of being the middleman, now aged 70 - said in a statement to the BBC through his lawyer that he took offence at the suggestion of "any coercive, deceptive or forceful behaviour on my part" and had "no knowledge of any such conduct by others".
He said he did not recall making promises of modelling opportunities. "Any encounter I had was fully consensual," he said. "Everyone I came into contact with who attended these events went in with their eyes wide open."
The BBC claim to have made repeated attempts by letter, email, and phone over several weeks to contact Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith, inviting them to respond to a detailed list of allegations. The BBC say they have not yet received a response.
* The Panorama special, The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool, is on BBC One tonight at 9pm and is available on BBC iPlayer now. The first seven episodes of the ten-part podcast series, World of Secrets: Season One – The Abercrombie Guys, will be available on BBC Sounds from 9pm today.
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