Mike Jeffries, Abercrombie & Fitch’s disgraced ex-CEO, is unfit to stand trial on charges related to an international sex-trafficking scheme that typically targeted vulnerable young men, many of them aspiring models.
In a letter filed in New York federal court last month, Jeffries’ lawyers said he suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia and the “residual effects of a traumatic brain injury,” leaving him in need of round-the-clock care. They said he would be unable to stand trial as a result, prompting Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury of the Eastern District of New York to order a competency hearing.
Choudhury on Friday ruled that Jeffries’ condition rendered him “mentally incompetent,” leaving him “unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense.” She ordered that he be hospitalized for four months to see if his mental state improves.
Jeffries — who served as CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 to 2014 — has been free on $10 million bond since October, when he pleaded not guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution. He’s accused of using his power and status to trap men into participating in drug-fueled sex parties with the promise of modeling work for the clothing retailer, famous in the 2000s for its bags and ads featuring shirtless men.
Jeffries was arrested last year, along with his romantic partner, Matthew Smith, 61, and 71-year-old James Jacobson. Smith has also pleaded not guilty to charges related to the scheme and remains free on bond, as has their co-defendant.
With News Wire Services
