More men accuse ex-Abercrombie boss of sexual exploitation

According to his event itineraries, which had been sent by Mr Jacobson, another of these sex events was just days after it had been publicly announced Mr Jeffries was stepping down as CEO of A&F in December 2014. Mr Milkie believes that final meeting marked the end of these events.

“The personification of Mike Jeffries is Abercrombie. He had the hair plugs, the plastic surgery, he wore the clothes, he wore the flip-flops. I mean, you talk about power. He projected his image on the entire country. His places where he lived were literally an Abercrombie store. It was like fantasy land,” he says.

“Without that sort of power, that sort of fear and influence, I imagine it’s just like a lot harder to keep people quiet, which is why years later people are talking about it.”

After the BBC’s initial investigation was published last year, A&F announced it was opening an independent investigation into the allegations raised. When we recently asked when this report will be completed – and if the findings would be made public – the company declined to answer.

Like Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith, the brand has been trying to get the civil lawsuit against it dismissed, arguing it had no knowledge of “the supposed sex-trafficking venture” led by its former CEO – which it has been accused of having funded.

Earlier this year, a US court ruled that A&F must cover the cost of Mike Jeffries’ legal defence as he continues to fight the civil allegations of sex-trafficking and rape. The judge ruled the allegations were tied to his corporate role after he sued the brand for refusing to pay his legal fees.

The brand said it does not comment on legal matters. However, in its defence submitted to court, A&F said its current leadership team was “previously unaware of” the allegations until the BBC contacted it, adding the company “abhors sexual abuse and condemns the alleged conduct” by Mr Jeffries and others.

Mr Jacobson – the middleman – previously said in a statement through his lawyer that he took offence at the suggestion of “any coercive, deceptive or forceful behaviour on my part” and had “no knowledge of any such conduct by others”.