Michael Jeffries Earned a Pretty Penny While Allegedly Carrying out Some Ugly Crimes

In the early 2000s, Abercrombie & Fitch was a controversial teen brand for many reasons — not least of all its scantily clad young models, which were plastered on giant posters throughout the stores and in their mall windows. However, though many parents were outraged by the brand's scandalous imagery, A&F became one of the most popular clothing stores for teens who were tired of shopping at children's outfitters like Limited Too and Claire's.

Unfortunately, though, it turns out that there may have been something sinister going on behind the brand's business model, after all, as its ex-CEO and chairman Mike Jeffries was arrested in late 2024 for charges of sex trafficking taking place during his reign from 1992 to 2014.

Now that the news is public, many folks want to know — just how rich is Jeffries following his tenure at A&F?

During his career as CEO and chairman of Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jeffries made an enormous salary reflective of the brand's mass market success. Per reports, Jeffries was making as much as $400 million per year with his salary, stock shares, and bonuses. Even after he stepped down from the company, he was reportedly offered a $27 million retirement package, as well as a $1 million per year agreement for the rest of his life.

However, A&F apparently pulled the $1 million agreement after allegations of sex trafficking surfaced in late 2023. Regardless, as of writing, Jeffries is still reported to be worth around $300 million.

While Jeffries has retained quite a bit of his fortune since his retirement from A&F, his impending legal proceedings will likely see a major drop in his net worth.

On Oct. 22, both Michael Jeffries and his partner, Matthew Smith, along with another man named James Jacobson, were arrested and charged with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, per a press conference from Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

"Aspiring fashion models knew that a place on one of Abercrombie's iconic ads would be the ticket to success in the modeling industry," he said. "But while Jeffries was the CEO of one of the most recognizable clothing retailers in the world, he was using his power, his wealth, and his influence to traffic men for his own sexual pleasure, and that of his romantic partner, Matthew Smith."

Allegedly, Jeffries would coerce young, male models into partaking in nonconsensual sex acts with the promise of promoting their careers and giving them opportunities in the industry.