Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO pleads not guilty to sex trafficking and prostitution charges

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — The former longtime CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch pleaded not guilty Friday to federal sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges.

Michael Jeffries, 80, declined to comment after his lawyer entered the plea on his behalf in federal court in Central Islip, on Long Island. He is free on a $10 million bond and is due back in court Dec. 12.

“Today’s hearing was procedural in nature, bond has been set to ensure Michael’s appearance in Court, and of course we entered a plea of not guilty,” Brian Bieber, his attorney, said in an email afterward, declining to comment on the allegations.

Prosecutors allege that for years, Jeffries, his romantic partner and a third man, 71-year-old James Jacobson, lured men into taking part in sex parties by dangling the promise of modeling for the clothing retailer, once famous for its preppy, All-American aesthetic and marketing with shirtless male models.

Jacobson, who was an employee of Jeffries when prosecutors say the crimes occurred, also pleaded not guilty and declined to speak to reporters afterward. He’s free on a $500,000 bond.

In charges announced earlier this week, prosecutors say 15 accusers were induced by “force, fraud and coercion” to engage in drug-fueled sex parties in which the men were sometimes directed to wear costumes, use sex toys and endure painful erection-inducing penile injections.

The events took place between 2008 and 2015 in New York City and the Hamptons, the wealthy summertime resort on Long Island where Jeffries has a home, as well as at hotels in England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts, according to the indictment.

The allegations echo sexual misconduct accusations described in media reports and made in a civil case against Jeffries, who left Abercrombie in 2014 after leading the company for more than two decades.

Jeffries initially appeared Tuesday in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida where he was arrested with his partner, 61-year-old Matthew Smith.

But while Jeffries was released on bond, Smith was ordered detained after prosecutors raised concerns that the dual American and British citizen might flee the country. No date has been set for Smith’s arraignment.

Jacobson, who prosecutors say recruited men for the sex parties, was arrested in Wisconsin and made his initial appearance in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Jeffries took over as CEO of Abercrombie in 1992, presiding over the evolution of the company from its roots as a hunting and outdoor goods store founded in Manhattan in 1892 to a fixture of teen mall culture during the early 2000s.

Abercrombie, in a statement posted on Instagram after the arrests, said it was “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations.

The Ohio-based company, which also owns the clothing brand Hollister, said it has “transformed” its brands and culture in the decade since Jeffries departed.

Abercrombie stopped using “sexualized” photos in marketing materials and ended the practice of calling store staffers “models.” It hired an outside law firm last year to conduct an independent investigation into similar allegations against Jeffries.

“Speaking up and coming forward is not easy, and our thoughts remain with those who have bravely raised their voices as part of the federal investigation,” the company wrote in its statement Wednesday. “We have zero tolerance for abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind, and are committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement as the legal process continues.”

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Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, right, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

James Jacobson exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges connected to the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, center, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

James Jacobson walks outside of the federal courthouse before his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges connected to the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

James Jacobson walks outside of the federal courthouse before his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges connected to the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, center, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

James Jacobson leaves in a vehicle outside of the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges connected to the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

James Jacobson smokes outside of the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges connected to the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, center, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, center, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, center, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, center, exits the federal courthouse after his arraignment on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Central Islip, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Michael Jeffries, right, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, gets into the car of his attorney, Brian Bieber, center, as they leave following a hearing at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

The Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is seen during a hearing for Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Michael Jeffries, right, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, leaves with his attorney Brian Bieber, left, following a hearing at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, leaves following a hearing at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Michael Jeffries, right, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, leaves with his attorney Brian Bieber following a hearing at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Michael Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, leaves following a hearing at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in West Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A conservative federal court on Friday said Mississippi cannot count mail-in ballots that arrive shortly after Election Day, although the decision was not expected to affect the Nov. 5 election.

While the appellate judges firmly asserted that counting late ballots violates federal law, even if those ballots are postmarked by Election Day, the judges stopped short of an order immediately blocking Mississippi from continuing the practice. Their ruling noted federal court precedents have discouraged court actions that change established procedures shortly before an election.

The ultimate outcome may be negligible in most elections in heavily Republican Mississippi, however the case could also affect voting in swing states.

The three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a July decision by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., who had dismissed challenges to Mississippi’s election law by the Republican National Committee, the Libertarian Party of Mississippi and others. The appeals court order sent the case back to Guirola for further action, but the issue may wind up at the Supreme Court.

The appeals court said its ruling Friday would not be returned to a lower court until seven days after the deadline for appealing their decision has passed — which is usually at least 14 days. That would put the effect of the ruling well past Nov. 5.

UCLA law professor Richard Hasen wrote on his election law blog that the appeals court ruling was a “bonkers opinion” and noted that “every other court to face these cases has rejected this argument.”

Republicans filed more than 100 lawsuits challenging various aspects of vote-casting after being chastised repeatedly by judges in 2020 for bringing complaints about how the election was run only after votes were tallied.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley praised the ruling for upholding “commonsense ballot safeguards” and said voters deserve “a transparent election which ends on November 5th.”

Mississippi is one of several states with laws allowing mailed ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The list includes swing states such as Nevada and states such as Colorado, Oregon and Utah that rely heavily on mail voting.

In July, a federal judge dismissed a similar lawsuit in Nevada. The Republican National Committee is asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive that case.

Guirola wrote that Mississippi’s law does not conflict with federal election laws. The suit challenging the Mississippi law argued that the state improperly extends the federal election and that, as a result, “timely, valid ballots are diluted by untimely, invalid ballots.”

Guirola disagreed, writing in July that “no ‘final selection’ is made after the federal election day under Mississippi’s law. All that occurs after election day is the delivery and counting of ballots cast on or before election day.”

Although the Mississippi challenge was led by Republicans and Libertarians, there is bipartisan support for the Mississippi practice. Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch is defending the state’s top election official. Secretary of State Michael Watson a defendant in the case. Both are Republicans.

The members of the appellate panel that reversed Guirola were judges James Ho, Stuart Kyle Duncan and Andrew Oldham, all nominated to the 5th Circuit by former President Donald Trump.

McGill reported from New Orleans. Associated Press reporter Mark Sherman contributed from Washington.

FILE - Pens are encircled by "I Voted" stickers at an election precinct in Jackson, Miss., March 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

FILE - A man walks in front of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Jan. 7, 2015, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman, File)

FILE - I Voted stickers at Willie Morris Library, Precinct 34, in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, Mar. 12, 2024. (Lauren Witte/The Clarion-Ledger via AP, File)