Ex-Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries ruled unfit for trial in sex trafficking case due to his dementia
Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been declared mentally unfit to stand trial on charges related to an alleged international sex-trafficking operation, according to a court filing made public on Thursday.The 80-year-old was arrested in October and charged with organizing sex parties where male models were reportedly coerced into sexual acts, paid for sex and plied with drugs.In the newly released legal documents, Jeffries’ attorney, Brian Bieber, revealed that multiple medical evaluations over recent months have concluded that Jeffries is suffering from severe dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments.News of the court filing was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.Jeffries’ condition has deteriorated to the point that he now requires constant supervision and care, according to one psychiatrist hired by the defense.An expert put forth by the prosecution reached a similar conclusion — stating that Jeffries’ condition is almost certain to deteriorate further.In light of these conclusions, Jeffries’ legal team has asked the court to hospitalize him for a period of four months to assess whether he may eventually be deemed competent to participate in legal proceedings.Prosecutors have not opposed the motion.A spokesperson for the US attorney’s office in the Eastern District of New York declined to comment on the matter.Jeffries, who ran Abercrombie from 1992 until his departure in 2014, was indicted this past fall on federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.The indictment alleges that Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and associate James Jacobson orchestrated an international sex-trafficking operation between 2008 and 2015.The three are accused of luring young men with promises of modeling opportunities, coercing them into attending sex events under false pretenses and subjecting them to non-consensual sexual acts.Victims were reportedly given drugs, forced to sign nondisclosure ...