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Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries competent enough for trial, judge rules
BBC • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal court has ruled that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking and prostitution charges, reversing a previous finding of mental incompetence due to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
- Judge Nusrat Choudhury based the decision on medical records and over 21 hours of audio recordings, noting Jeffries' ability to engage in fluent conversation and understand legal proceedings.
- Jeffries, 81, will receive accommodations during the trial, including limited court hours, frequent breaks, and access to daily transcripts to assist with his cognitive impairments.
- Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith, and alleged middleman James Jacobson were charged in October 2024 with running a global sex trafficking operation, following a 2023 BBC investigation; all have pleaded not guilty.
- The trial is scheduled to begin on October 26, with potential life imprisonment if found guilty.
