Barrett Pall presented a diary entry detailing his encounter with Mike Jeffries to BBC correspondent Rianna Croxford in a federal courtroom in New York. Jeffries, the ex-fashion boss under investigation for three years, was arrested by the FBI after evidence uncovered by Pall in his podcast series, The Abercrombie Guys, implicated Jeffries and his British partner, Matthew Smith, in an international sex trafficking and prostitution operation.
The investigation, sparked by a cryptic Instagram comment from former model Barrett Pall, led Pall on a two-year journey across America to uncover the truth behind the allegations. Through old-school methods like word of mouth and handwritten letters, Pall tracked down men affected by Jeffries and Smith’s actions, eventually leading to a breakthrough with recovered itineraries corroborating the events Pall had uncovered.
Despite facing obstacles like hacking attempts and intimidation, Pall persisted in his investigation, eventually revealing a pattern of abuse and exploitation at the hands of Jeffries and Smith. The story, published in October 2023, prompted legal action from the victims and sources coming forward to law enforcement.
The indictment unsealed by prosecutors revealed the extent of Jeffries’ operation, including the use of non-disclosure agreements, background checks, and surveillance to silence those who threatened to expose them. Pall’s work shed light on a hidden world of abuse and manipulation, giving a voice to the victims who had suffered in silence for too long.