Former Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested on sex-trafficking charges

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested on charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter.

Jeffries was arrested in West Palm Beach, Florida. Two other accomplices, Matthew Smith of West Palm Beach and James Jacobson of Wisconsin, were also arrested on sex trafficking charges.

They are expected to appear in federal courts in Florida and Wisconsin today and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Jeffries was the CEO of the popular apparel brand from 1992 to 2014.

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York will hold a press conference on the charges Tuesday afternoon.

A federal indictment alleges that Jeffries, along with Smith and Jacobson, operated an “international sex trafficking and prostitution business” from 2008 to 2015.

It alleged they organized “sex events” for Jeffries, Smith and “others” in England, France, Italy, Morocco, St Barts and New York. They “employed coercive, deceptive and deceptive tactics in recruiting, recruiting, transporting, obtaining, maintaining, soliciting and paying men to engage in commercial sex.”

Men who attended the event were allegedly believed to believe it could lead to modeling opportunities or help their careers, or that “not complying with certain work requests during sexual events could harm their careers.”

The men had to sign non-disclosure agreements and surrender their wallets and cell phones during the event.

Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson are also accused of recruiting, hiring and paying family members exclusively to “facilitate and supervise sexual events.” Employees provided Jeffries, Smith and those who drank alcohol, muscle relaxant “poppers,” lubricants, Viagra and condoms, among other items. Either Jacobson or employees paid the men to participate in sexual events, the complaint said.

Jeffries, Smith and Jacobson each face a single count of sex trafficking as well as 15 counts of interstate prostitution with 15 alleged victims.

Jeffries news The arrest came a year after BBC News published an explosive report that said Jeffries had exploited men at sex parties he hosted. That report said 12 men described attending or organizing events that included sexual acts for Jeffries and her partner, Matthew Smith, and that the incidents occurred from 2009 to 2015. .

Jeffries' attorney, Brian Bieber, told NBC News at the time that Jeffries would not comment on the report about his personal life. Abercrombie & Fitch said the company was “alarmed and disturbed” by the allegations in the BBC report.

Bieber told NBC News on Tuesday in response to the arrest: “We will respond in detail to the allegations once they are released, and when appropriate, plan to do so in court — not the media.”

Shortly after that report, Abercrombie & Fitch and Jeffries were sued for allegedly turning a blind eye to Jeffries' alleged misconduct. That civil suit alleges she sexually assaulted several men after luring them with the promise of lucrative modeling contracts, CNBC reported.

“Today's arrest is a memorial to the aspiring male models who were victimized by these individuals,” attorney Brittany Henderson, who is representing victims of the class action lawsuit, said in a statement Tuesday.

“Their fight for justice does not end here,” the statement said. “We look forward to holding Abercrombie and Fitch accountable for facilitating this appalling behavior and ensuring it does not happen again.”

This is a developing story. Please come back for updates.