Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO is mentally fit for sex trafficking trial, judge says
NEW YORK (AP) — The former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch is mentally competent to stand trial as he faces sex trafficking charges after being hospitalized for months for dementia and Alzheimer’s symptoms, a federal judge ruled.
A federal judge has ruled that Michael Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, is mentally competent to stand trial for sex trafficking charges. Judge Nusrat Choudhury stated that Jeffries "clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings" and is a "reasonably intelligent person and skilled communicator" after his stay at a federal prison hospital in Butner, North Carolina.
The judge reviewed testimony and reports from medical experts, as well as hours of phone calls Jeffries made while in custody, which demonstrated his understanding of the criminal legal system, courtroom procedures, and key legal concepts. Jeffries, 82, is currently free on bond and is scheduled to go on trial in late October alongside his partner Matthew Smith and staffer James Jacobson.
The charges against the trio include sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, with prosecutors alleging they lured men to drug-fueled sex parties using the promise of modeling jobs.
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