Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith The arrests were made this week on federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. Along with their accomplice James Jacobsen, the pair are accused of recruiting and exploiting men for sex parties. The allegations first surfaced in the bombings last year BBC news Investigation and a Subsequent civil cases By a former Abercrombie and Fitch model. The alleged victims say they thought they would get a modeling opportunity to participate in the event. Jeffries and Smith’s legal teams both declined to comment on the allegations, saying The New York Times That they plan to respond to the court later.
The troubling charges add another layer of grimness to the troubled legacy of Abercrombie & Fitch under Jeffries, just as the company begins to align itself with a more wholesome image.
This recent development also fits into a larger, more influential narrative now playing out in pop culture and society: the 2019 case of Jeffrey Epstein and R. With Kelly’s 2021 conviction, high-profile sex trafficking cases appear to be increasing dramatically. According to one former prosecutor, we should probably expect to see more of them.
Before the charges against Jeffries, the news cycle was already consumed by the mountain of legal troubles surrounding hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. In September, Combs was indicted in New York City, where he remains in custody without bail on charges of sex trafficking, panhandling, and transportation for prostitution with his alleged “freak-off” parties. Combs’s lawyer This claim is called “An unfair trial” and Combs said he “looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Kanye West’s former assistant Lauren Pisciotta has also accused the rapper Trafficking in women In an amended civil suit she also accused him of sexual harassment (Lawyers of the West response (to sue PCOTA this summer accusing it of “blackmail and extortion.”) In January, Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and AMC Networks chairman James Dolan Allegations of sex trafficking A former massage therapist complained, however, that the judge dismissed the trafficking claim.
Whispers of trafficking rings in Hollywood and other wealthy places tend to coalesce online, often fueled by conspiracy theories and misinformation — As we have seen in the case of DD. However, we are seeing a legitimate movement taking place in the way sexual abuse is dealt with. According to Newama Rahmani, a former prosecutor who worked on human trafficking cases for the Justice Department and co-founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers, victims are more willing to come forward and prosecutors are more willing to pursue these forced-sex cases. Vox spoke with Rahmani about why all these bombshell sex-trafficking cases are being brought now and the impact it could have for years to come.
How much do you consider to be a conscious trend happening in the federal courts?
It is absolutely a trend. There is no question that prosecutors are being much more aggressive in these types of cases. The NXIVM case moved out of the same office, the Eastern District of New York, where Jeffries is being tried. And. Kelly was also tried in the neighboring Southern District of New York. So you see more cases like this because they are more successful.
This is also clearly a result of #MeToo. Jeffrey Epstein got away with it all these years and now the tables have turned. Victims are coming forward. They are empowered. They have a voice — because without a victim, you don’t really have a case. So it’s absolutely a trend in terms of numbers, and we’re seeing more and more of it, and we’re going to see more of it because there’s a lot more attention.
of New York Adult Survival Actwhich temporarily waived the statute of limitations on civil sexual assault cases, deposit With some cases up to DD’s federal investigation. Allegations also surfaced against Jeffries After filing a civil suit. How big a role are these laws playing in what we’re seeing?
We are definitely seeing the laws opening up again – not towards crime. But we know that a civil case can prompt an investigation that can lead to a criminal case. It goes back to the Catholic Church and the sex abuse scandals there. It was litigated very aggressively and all the way to the state Supreme Court. They rule that you can open the statute of limitations for civil [cases] But not a criminal. By reopening the limitations of the criminal law, it violates the ex post facto clause of a retrospective prosecution and the Constitution. But you see more and more civil statutes of limitations that are open.
New York State and New York City have done this. California has been open to civil lawsuits multiple times.
Why does it usually take so long to catch these cases?
Prosecutors are very conservative when it comes to rape, especially when we’re dealing with adults. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes, and only a small percentage of perpetrators are brought to justice because they are difficult cases. They happen behind closed doors. It’s an issue of compliance and “he said, she said.”
Prosecutors don’t like to lose, and they don’t like to take a case unless it’s warranted. So often you need multiple victims to come forward before a conviction. Prosecutors don’t want to go after just one victim. The case may hang. We’ve seen it happen with Bill Cosby, Danny Masterson, Harvey Weinstein. You need to get 12 out of 12 jurors unanimous. It’s not easy.
So often, they need more hunting. And victims don’t want to come forward and relive that trauma. You have to tell your story very publicly. That’s the big-picture reason why we haven’t seen many cases like this historically, at least in my lifetime.
In the case of Jeffrey Epstein and now DD, many people are curious about the network of individuals involved in this sex trafficking case. Do you think Diddy’s or Jeffries’ trial will lead to more exposure?
US Attorney Damian Williams said the investigation into DD is ongoing. But in my experience following him, he’s not one of those prosecutors who takes a kitchen-sink approach. He is not one to charge everyone. Christina Khorram – [Diddy’s] The right-hand woman who allegedly supplied drugs, secured and recruited multiple victims — has not been charged. Based on what I’ve seen so far, I’d be surprised if any additional celebs were charged.
Again, prosecutors are conservative. They’re not going to name a celebrity unless they’re sure they can get a conviction. The standard is much higher in criminal cases. You need the jury to be unanimous beyond a reasonable doubt.
I hope celebrities get sued. you look the case Against Diddy from this week. There was a celebrity A and B, who allegedly attended [in the alleged rape]. The reason for their anonymity is that there is a significant cost to celebrities to keep their names and enter into a confidential settlement and pay to have it removed. I would like to see the persons expelled in such cases before naming the complaint.
Do you see these events continuing to have a ripple effect on culture?
I mean, it’s happening now because there’s a will. Look at the Menendez brothers, right? They may be released because they were sexually abused by their father. 35 years after they shot and killed their parents. Now there is a very different awareness and culture around sexual harassment and sexual assault and victimization. I really think the tide has turned, and the days of rich and powerful men being able to take advantage of young men and women because of their wealth and power disparity.
