Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch Chief Fit to Stand Trial on Sex Trafficking Charges, Judge Rules
Federal Judge Nusrat Choudhury ruled on August 21 that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking charges, reversing an earlier finding of mental incompetence. The judge based her decision on examination of medical records and over 21 hours of audio recordings across 109 calls, finding Jeffries fluent and capable of understanding proceedings. Trial is scheduled to begin on October 26.
Federal Judge Nusrat Choudhury ruled on August 21 that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking charges, reversing an earlier court finding that he was mentally incompetent to proceed. The 81-year-old defendant faces over a dozen charges related to sex trafficking in violation of interstate prostitution statutes.
Jeffries had been declared unfit to stand trial in a prior proceeding based on claims that he suffered from dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Judge Choudhury's ruling, set out in a 150-plus-page decision, overturns that finding on the basis of evidence she characterized as "ample."
The judge grounded her decision in an examination of Jeffries' medical records and more than 21 hours of audio recordings spanning 109 phone calls. According to the judge, the audio recordings were "particularly illuminating." In her written opinion, Judge Choudhury stated: "On the calls, Jeffries is a fluent conversational partner and shows that he has the ability to learn new information auditorily." She also wrote: "Jeffries clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings to adjudicate his criminal charges."
In October 2024, Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith (62), and their alleged middleman James Jacobson (73) were charged with running a global sex trafficking and prostitution business, per BBC News reporting. All three have pleaded not guilty. A guilty verdict on the charges would carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. The arrests followed an October 2023 BBC investigation and podcast series that alleged the trio had orchestrated operations scouting young men for sex around the world while Jeffries was CEO.
Trial is scheduled to begin on October 26. Despite her competency finding, Judge Choudhury ordered accommodations reflecting Jeffries' age and cognitive impairments. Court sessions will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., allowing Jeffries morning time to review transcripts and discuss the previous day's developments. Trial will include at least two or three 15-minute breaks, and both parties must provide full daily transcripts for his review. However, the judge stressed: "To be clear, Jeffries is competent to proceed regardless of these accommodations."
Judge Choudhury found Jeffries competent to stand trial after reviewing 21+ hours of audio from 109 calls, reversing a prior incompetency finding based on dementia and Alzheimer's claims.
The ruling clears Jeffries to face trial starting in late October, ending a procedural delay that hinged on whether cognitive decline made him unable to participate in his own defense. Watch for whether the trial proceeds on schedule and how the accommodations ordered by the judge affect the pace and scope of proceedings.
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