Watch live: Police update on former Abercrombie CEO ‘arrested on sex trafficking charges’
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Watch live as federal prosecutors, FBI officials, and New York Police Department (NYPD) officials announce the arrests and charges in a sex trafficking and interstate prostitution case.
It comes after former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries was arrested on sex trafficking charges following an FBI investigation, reports said.
Mr Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and another man were arrested on Tuesday morning with more details expected to come shortly, the BBC reported.
The federal sex trafficking investigation was opened last year following claims that Mr Jeffries and his partner had sexually abused and exploited men at events in New York and around the world.
A lawyer representing some of the alleged victims confirmed the arrests in a statement to the BBC and said: “These arrests are a huge first step towards obtaining justice for the many victims who were exploited and abused through this sex-trafficking scheme that operated for many years under the legitimate cover Abercrombie provided.”
Mr Jeffries and Mr Smith have both previously denied any wrongdoing.
Speakers at the news conference will include Breon Peace, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E Dennehy, assistant director in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Field Office, and deputy chief Carlos Ortiz, commanding officer of the New York City Police Department Special Victims Unit.
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