Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch chief fit to stand trial in sex trafficking case, judge says

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 was declared "mentally incompetent" by a court last year and said to be suffering with dementia and late onset of Alzheimer's disease.

Based on an examination of his medical records and more than 21 hours of audio recordings across 109 calls, Judge Nusrat Choudhury has now ruled that there was "ample evidence" to show that he was 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 26 October.

Judge Choudhury said in the 150-plus page ruling that the audio recordings of phone calls were "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 said. "Jeffries clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings to adjudicate his criminal charges."

The judge said the court would still make certain accommodations, in light of Jeffries 81 years of age and cognitive impairments.

The court will be held from 13:00-17:00, so that Jeffries may use the morning to review transcripts and discuss developments from the previous day.

Trial will also include "at least two or three 15-minute breaks" and both parties will be required to provide full transcripts each day for Jeffries' review.

"To be clear, Jeffries is competent to proceed regardless of these accommodations," Judge Choudhury said.

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.

They have pleaded not guilty to the charges. A guilty verdict would carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Their arrests followed an October 2023 BBC investigation and ongoing podcast series that revealed the trio had been at the centre of a sophisticated operation scouting young men for sex around the world while Jeffries was CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch.