(AP) CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. In their sex trafficking case, Matthew Smith, the partner of former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, was freed on $10 million bond Tuesday, subject to GPS monitoring and house confinement.
Smith, 61, entered a not guilty plea to counts of prostitution and sex trafficking in a federal court on Long Island, New York.
Smith, Jeffries, and a third man, James Jacobson, were detained on October 22 on suspicion of enticing men into drug-fueled sex parties by offering them modeling positions with the fashion retailer.
In court documents, prosecutors claimed that between 2008 and 2015, the men were coerced, deceived, and forced to participate in sex parties where they were occasionally instructed to don costumes and endure excruciating injections meant to produce an erection.
Jeffries and Jacobson were previously released on bond after entering not guilty pleas. However, Smith, a dual citizen of the United States and Great Britain, was first placed under arrest after prosecutors expressed fear that he may leave the nation.
Matthew Smith, center, wearing an ankle monitor, leaves a federal courthouse in Central Islip, N.Y., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Image: Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Smith will surrender his passport in accordance with the provisions of the bail agreement, and he and Jeffries will be restricted from taking more than $125,000 per month out of a trust established for their benefit.
Joseph Nascimento, Smith’s lawyer, stated that his client is pleased that the prosecution agreed to bail terms that will enable Mr. Smith to address these accusations in court while under home confinement.
After taking over as Abercrombie’s CEO in 1992, Jeffries guided the company’s evolution into a staple of teen culture in the early 2000s.
After Jeffries departed Abercrombie in 2014, the Ohio-based business expressed its disdain and horror at the accusations against him in an Instagram statement.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!