A guest at an event hosted by the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and his British partner said tonight he believes he may have contracted HIV after being “drugged and raped” by a man there .
BBC Panorama published a dossier with allegations that a “highly organized network” used a middleman to find young men for businessmen Mike Jeffries, 79, and Matthew Smith, 60.
The investigative documentary said she spoke to eight men, some of whom claimed they were exploited at events in the United States, London, Paris, Venice, Marrakech and the Caribbean, among others.
One of them, who called himself Alex to protect his family, said he believed it was likely he had contracted HIV after being raped with drugs on one of these occasions.
He was in his mid-20s and heterosexual when he went to an event in Marrakech where up to 80 other men were present.
He told the show: “There’s a bit of a presentation from some of the guys. “They had people face down in the water, butts in the air.
Mike Jeffries, when he was CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, pictured about ten years ago
Barrett Pall spoke to the show and made a number of allegations in his interview
One of the men, who called himself “Alex” to protect his family, said he believed it was likely he had contracted HIV after being raped with drugs on one of these occasions
“They gave us champagne to drink there if we wanted it and a big glass of Viagra.”
“I was blown away that I had never seen anything like this.”
He danced for Jeffries and Smith and claimed the CEO grabbed him by the head and made him make out with him “like a whale.”
Feeling unwell, he went into a back room and fell asleep. But he added to the show: “I woke up and felt like something was wrong. “I felt like someone had put date rape drugs in my drink.”
He found a condom and added: “I think there’s a very good possibility that I was drugged and raped. “I’ll probably never be able to know exactly what happened.”
Alex broke down later in the program when he revealed he had become ill and was later diagnosed as HIV positive.
He said: “It turned everything upside down and it hasn’t been the same since.”
“There is a very small possibility that it could have come from outside the event in Marakesh.”
Panorama said many of the incidents involved sexual acts and the men said they were recruited by an intermediary identified as James Jacobson, who denies any wrongdoing. Mr. Jacobson wore a snakeskin patch over his nose, where he said the operation went wrong.
Half said they were deceived about the nature of events or were not told that sex was expected, while others said they knew it would involve sex but not exactly what it would involve was expected.
It was said that modeling opportunities had already flowed through A&F before they met Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith.
David Bradberry, then 23, told the program he was introduced to Mr Jacobson by an agent who described him as the gatekeeper to the “owners” of A&F.
It was said there were modeling opportunities with A&F before they met Mr Jeffries (pictured) and Mr Smith.
There have been allegations on the BBC that a “highly organized network” used a middleman to find young men for 79-year-old businessman Mike Jeffries
The men said they were recruited by an intermediary named James Jacobson, who denies any wrongdoing.
It was said that modeling opportunities had already been opened up at A&F before she met Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith (pictured).
He told reporter Rianna Croxford that Mr. Jacobson suggested that Bruce Weber, who was A&F’s official photographer at the time, photograph him.
Mr Bradberry claimed: “Jim made it clear to me that if I didn’t let him perform oral sex on me, I wouldn’t meet with Abercrombie & Fitch or Mike Jeffries.”
“I was paralyzed. It was like he was selling fame. And the price was compliance.”
Mr Bradberry said he was led to believe “that’s the starting point for everyone”.
Mr. Jacobson allegedly gave him $500 and told him it was his time.
He added: “I thought he was just a creepy old guy that I would never have to see again.”
He accepted an invitation to a daytime event at Mr. Jeffries’ former home in the Hamptons on New York’s Long Island, which recently sold for $29 million. Mr Bradberry said he understood that Mike Jeffries was a “powerful man” who could “make a career”.
Ahead of the event, he said he received an A&F gift card that he could use to purchase an outfit, which he said made him feel “legit” and “official.”
In the Hamptons, Mr. Bradberry said he spoke with Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Smith about his ambitions to become an A&F model. Later, he said, Mr. Jeffries shoved “poppers” under his nose – a drug that can cause severe headaches and disorientation – and later had sex with him.
David Bradberry actually wanted to be an actor, but was invited to one of the “events”.
Michael S. Jeffries, chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, speaks at the National Retail Federation’s annual conference on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 in New York
Barrett Pall, a former model turned life coach and activist, said he felt pressured to attend an event in the Hamptons in 2011
Shopping bags outside of Abercrombie and Fitch at Faneuil Hall in Boston, MA on July 12, 2010
Men who attended these events told the BBC that they involved Mike Jeffries and Matthew Smith in sexual activity with about four men or “instructed” them to have sex with each other. The men then said they received envelopes containing thousands of dollars in cash.
According to the BBC, Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but Jacobson said all the men went into these events “with their eyes wide open”.
The BBC said two former US prosecutors independently reviewed documents and witness statements and called for an investigation to determine whether sex trafficking charges should be brought.
Under U.S. law, sex trafficking involves using force, fraud, or coercion to induce an adult to travel to another state or country to have sex in exchange for money.
Further allegations in the Panorama special “The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool” state that the men’s recruiters received between $500 and $1,000 for each one.
Mr. Jacobson is accused of propositioning or sexually “auditioning” them by demanding or offering oral sex before being introduced to Mr. Jeffries
Mr Pall told reporter Rianna Croxford that men recruited for the event allegedly performed oral sex on him while Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith looked on
David Bradberry, then 23, told the program he was introduced to Mr Jacobson by an agent who described him as the gatekeeper to the “owners” of A&F
An Abercrombie & Fitch poster hangs in the Abercrombie & Fitch store during the opening of the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store on October 25, 2012 in Munich
It is also alleged that a personal “groomer” was hired to closely shave the body hair of men attending events, an experience some have described as “dehumanizing.”
Other allegations are that the men were made to sign non-disclosure agreements and understood that if they spoke out they would be sued
Mr Jeffries’ personal staff, who wore A&F uniforms, are also said to have supervised the men – including in the bedroom – and then handed them money
Barrett Pall, a former model turned life coach and activist, said he felt pressured to attend an event in the Hamptons in 2011.
The then 22-year-old told the BBC he was recruited by an older model who received a referral fee and was his “surrogate” for “any sexual experience” with the couple.
He said the older model told him that “you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” but suggested that “the further you go, the better,” alluding to career opportunities. When he arrived at the event under the supervision of the staff, he felt that he was under pressure to perform.
“How should I go? “I didn’t have a car,” he said. “I had a chaperone sitting there watching me.”
Mr Pall said one of the other men recruited for the event performed oral sex on him while Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith watched. He said they then encouraged him to come to the bed and kiss Mr Jeffries. He added that later two other men recruited for the event had sex with the A&F boss and his partner.
The program said that the men had been invited to events hosted by the fashion company boss
At one point he said Mr. Jeffries was behind him and groped him.
Brad Edwards, a civil lawyer who reviewed the evidence, according to the BBC, said US prosecutors should investigate whether what these “brave men” described could be sex trafficking.
Mr Edwards said: “Some of the men may have had evidence of coercion, whilst others may not have experienced the coercive tactics.”
“Remember that duress is the reasonable belief that serious harm will be inflicted, and serious harm can be reputational harm, financial harm or physical harm,” he added.
Mr Edwards also said that Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith could argue that the men were consenting adults and that the fact that some had had commercial sex in the past was “a factor”, although he said previous acts were “real “irrelevant” to whether a particular commercial involved a sexual act based on force, fraud or coercion. However, Mr Edwards said the burden of proof for prosecutors was “very high”.
Elizabeth Geddes, who was a federal prosecutor for more than 15 years, said: “There is certainly an argument that these young men were subjected to potential coercion.” I think there are reasons for a prosecutor to open an investigation and look closely at this behavior review to determine whether criminal prosecution is warranted.”
Mr. Jacobson – the middleman, now 70 – said in a statement through his lawyer that he was annoyed by the suggestion of “any coercive, deceptive or violent behavior on my part” and had “no knowledge of any such behavior by others.”
He said he didn’t remember being promised modeling opportunities.
“Every encounter I’ve had has been completely consensual,” he said. “Everyone I came into contact with who attended these events went in with their eyes wide open.”
Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith declined to comment to the BBC.
A spokesman for Abercrombie & Fitch Co. told Web: “We are appalled and outraged by the behavior described in the allegations against Mr Jeffries, whose employment with Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ended in 2014, almost ten years ago. “
“It is not easy to speak out and come forward and our thoughts are with those who have courageously spoken out.” After being contacted by the BBC, we have engaged an external law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the issues raised instructed.
“The company’s current leadership team and board were unaware of Mr. Jeffries’ allegations of sexual misconduct.”
“For nearly a decade, a new leadership team and a refreshed board have successfully transformed our brands and culture into the values-driven organization we are today. “We do not tolerate abuse, harassment or discrimination of any kind.”
Mr. Jeffries was also contacted via email for comment.
BBC Panorama – The Abercrombie Guys: The Dark Side of Cool and World of Secrets Season 1: The Abercrombie Guys on BBC Sounds