Ex-Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries Faces Competency Hearing in Sex Trafficking Case

Jeffries' lawyers argue his dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's impair his ability to stand trial on federal charges.

Mike Jeffries, former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, has been charged with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution alongside his partner Matthew Smith and alleged middleman James Jacobson.
Jeffries' legal team contends that his dementia, including probable late-onset Alzheimer's, renders him unable to understand the legal proceedings or assist in his defense.
The charges stem from allegations that Jeffries and Smith operated a global sex trafficking operation between 2008 and 2015, coercing vulnerable men into exploitative sexual acts.
A court-ordered competency hearing is scheduled for June 16-17, 2025, to evaluate Jeffries' mental fitness for trial based on medical evaluations by experts retained by both his defense and the government.
Jeffries, who stepped down as Abercrombie CEO in 2014, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains free on a $10 million bond.