A bunch of once-aspiring Abercrombie & Fitch fashions on Friday sued the retailer and its former chief govt officer, Michael Jeffries, alleging the corporate had benefited from a intercourse trafficking operation led by Jeffries.
Former mannequin David Bradberry within the proposed class motion filed in Manhattan federal courtroom claims Jeffries, who was CEO from 1992 to 2014, pressured fashions to take medication and have interaction in sexual acts with him and others for the prospect to be featured in Abercrombie’s provocative catalogs.
In line with the lawsuit, Jeffries used his place because the CEO of Abercrombie to recruit males and invite them to castings at his houses in New York Metropolis, the Hamptons, and different places. Bradberry and different males say they have been pressured to take medication and take part in sexual acts with Jeffries, his enterprise associate Matthew Smith, and others related to Abercrombie.
The lawsuit names Abercrombie, Jeffries, Smith and Jeffries’ Ohio-based firm Jeffries Household Workplace as defendants. An Abercrombie spokesperson mentioned the corporate doesn’t touch upon pending litigation. Jeffries, Smith and Jeffries Household Workplace couldn’t instantly be reached for remark.
In line with the lawsuit, Abercrombie firm officers knew in regards to the conduct and the corporate paid settlements to individuals who accused Jeffries of sexual abuse or harassment. The lawsuit alleges Abercrombie facilitated the “sex-trafficking conspiracy” as Jeffries continued to reap large earnings.
Jeffries is usually credited with spearheading the corporate’s transformation right into a profitable teen retailer identified for its cologne-filled shops and adverts that includes semi-nude fashions.
He resigned in 2014 amid criticism that he had did not maintain tempo with the tastes of teenybopper buyers, and obtained a payout of greater than $25 million.
Since he stepped down, the corporate has moved away from its suggestive promoting and rebranded as a extra inclusive retailer with expanded sizing and clothes geared towards younger grownup buyers.
The BBC earlier this month first reported allegations by Bradberry and others that Jeffries had abused fashions.
Abercrombie instructed the BBC that the corporate was “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations and doesn’t tolerate abuse or harassment. In line with the report, an unidentified lawyer for Jeffries mentioned the ex-CEO wouldn’t touch upon his private life.
Bradberry accused Abercrombie and Jeffries of violating a federal regulation prohibiting intercourse trafficking, amongst different claims. Fashions have been instructed that participating in sexual acts was a typical a part of the Abercrombie casting course of and have been paid hundreds of {dollars} after performing sexual acts in opposition to their will, in line with the lawsuit. They traveled to New York, London, Morocco and France to satisfy with Jeffries.
Bradberry is looking for unspecified damages on behalf of a category of greater than 100 males who have been allegedly abused.
By Daniel Wiessner and Katherine Masters in; Enhancing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Daniel Wallis
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