Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries Competent Enough for Trial, Judge Rules
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Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch chief fit to stand trial in sex trafficking case, judge says
Image source:
[Getty Images]
By
Brandon Drenon
Published 16 minutes ago
Former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Mike Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking and prostitution charges, a federal court has ruled, reversing an earlier decision.
Jeffries had been declared "mentally incompetent" by a court last year, with assessments citing dementia and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
However, based on a review of his medical records and over 21 hours of audio recordings from 109 calls, Judge Nusrat Choudhury has now ruled there is "ample evidence" to show he is fit to stand trial.
Jeffries faces over a dozen charges related to sex trafficking in violation of interstate prostitution. His trial is scheduled to begin on October 26.
In the 150-plus page ruling, Judge Choudhury highlighted the audio recordings as "particularly illuminating".
"On the calls, Jeffries is a fluent conversational partner and shows that he has the ability to learn new information auditorily," Judge Choudhury stated. "Jeffries clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings to adjudicate his criminal charges."
The judge noted that while accommodations would be made due to Jeffries’ 81 years of age and cognitive impairments, they would not affect his competency:
"To be clear, Jeffries is competent to proceed regardless of these accommodations."
In October 2024, Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith, 62, and alleged middleman James Jacobson, 73, were charged with running a global sex trafficking and prostitution business. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison upon conviction.
Their arrests followed an October 2023 BBC investigation and an ongoing podcast series that exposed their alleged involvement in a sophisticated operation targeting young men for sexual exploitation around the world while Jeffries was CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch.
