Mike Jeffries ruled competent for sex trafficking trial

A federal judge has ruled that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries is mentally competent to stand trial on charges of sex trafficking and prostitution. The decision reverses a previous ruling that had declared him mentally incompetent due to alleged dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

U.S. District Judge Nusrat Choudhury reached the decision after reviewing medical records and listening to over 21 hours of audio recordings from phone calls. The judge noted that Jeffries appeared to be a “fluent conversational partner” and possessed a “rational and factual understanding of the proceedings.”

Jeffries, along with partner Matthew Smith and alleged middleman James Jacobson, faces charges related to running a global sex trafficking and prostitution business. While the court will provide accommodations for Jeffries’ age and cognitive health—including specific trial hours and frequent breaks—the judge emphasized he is fit to proceed. The trial is scheduled to begin on October 26.