More Men Accuse Ex-Abercrombie Boss Of Sexual Assaults

More men have come forward to the BBC, accusing the former chief executive of Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) and his British partner of sexual exploitation.

At least eight men have accused Mike Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith of kissing, fondling, and raping them during a cruise, at a hotel in Madrid, at Jeffries’ home, and in Paris between 2009 and 2015. I Photo: Choo Yut Shing Flickr

Some allege they were abused, while others claim they were injected with drugs, Rianna Croxford reported for BBC News.

At least eight men have accused Mike Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith of kissing, fondling, and raping them during a cruise, at a hotel in Madrid, at Jeffries’ home, and in Paris between 2009 and 2015.

The men, who were in their early 20s when recruited by middleman James Jacobson for modeling jobs with A&F, claimed they were led to believe they were being employed as greeters but ended up performing oral sex with Jeffries, Smith, and unknown “guests.”

Jeffries, 80, Smith, 61, and A&F—which also owns the brand Hollister—are facing a civil lawsuit alleging that the retailer funded a sex-trafficking operation during the two decades Jeffries was in charge.

Neither Smith nor Jeffries responded to requests for comment. However, their lawyers previously stated they deny the allegations of wrongdoing, adding, "The courtroom is where we will deal with this matter."

One former attendee, Diego Guillen, who says he has been interviewed by the FBI, told the BBC that in 2011 he was paid $500 (£380) every Saturday to make wake-up calls to men expected to attend these sex events. He estimated he made about 80 calls over seven months.