Who is Mike Jeffries’ partner Matthew Smith and how was he involved in Abercrombie & Fitch?
ABERCROMBIE & Fitch’s ex-CEO Mike Jeffries and his British partner Matthew Smith allegedly exploited young men for sex, it has been claimed.
The BBC reports that Jeffries and Smith used a middleman to find young men for sex events at their New York pad and at luxury hotels across the world.
Jeffries and Smith did not respond to requests for comment.
But a middleman denied any wrongdoing – and said men entered the reported events “with their eyes wide open”.
Here’s everything you need to know about Matthew Smith and his involvement in Abercrombie & Fitch.
Who is Matthew Smith?
Matthew Smith, 60, is the long-time partner of Abercrombie & Fitch’s ex-CEO Mike Jeffries.
He graduated from the Wharton business school at the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in entrepreneurial management.
It has been reported that he ran an organic hair salon named The Matthew Smith Clinic in the early 1990s.
How long has Matthew Smith been with Mike Jeffries and where do they live?
Jeffries and Smith have reportedly been together for nearly 20 years.
The couple recently sold their home in the Hamptons on New York’s Long Island for $29million (£24million).
It is not known where the couple now live.
How was Matthew Smith involved with Abercrombie & Fitch?
In 2013 six current and former Abercrombie & Smith bosses told BuzzFeed that Smith wielded vast power and influence over the brand.
The website reported that Smith allegedly enforced Jeffries’ office rules, like the one cushion per chair limit in Abercrombie’s HQ.
He also reportedly had access to important documents, even though his involvement was never formally reported to shareholders.
Jeffries stepped down as CEO in 2014, ending Smith’s alleged involvement with the firm.