Abercrombie & Fitch slapped with lawsuit alleging sexual abuse of its male models under former CEO

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
AP Retail Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A former model for Abercrombie & Fitch has sued the fashion retailer, alleging it allowed its former CEO Mike Jeffries to run a sex-trafficking organization during his 22-year tenure. Jeffries left Abercrombie in 2014. While there, he converted the chain from an struggling retailer of hunting apparel to a seller of must-have teen clothing. But he faced criticism for the company’s sexualized marketing, including billboards and beefy models that alienated potential customers who didn’t fit into its image. The lawsuit comes after a BBC report earlier this month that raised similar allegations against Jeffries and his partner Matthew Smith.