Abercrombie & Fitch products are seen at their store at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S., February 15, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photomodels on Friday sued the retailer and its former chief executive officer, Michael Jeffries, alleging the company had benefited from a sex trafficking operation led by Jeffries.
The lawsuit names Abercrombie, Jeffries, Smith and Jeffries' Ohio-based company Jeffries Family Office as defendants. An Abercrombie spokesperson said the company does not comment on pending litigation. Jeffries, Smith and Jeffries Family Office could not immediately be reached for comment. He resigned in 2014 amid criticism that he had failed to keep pace with the tastes of teen shoppers, and received a payout of more than $25 million.
Abercrombie told the BBC that the company was "appalled and disgusted" by the allegations and does not tolerate abuse or harassment. According to the report, an unidentified lawyer for Jeffries said the ex-CEO would not comment on his personal life.