Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries was recorded telling his partner that they would be 'screwed' if he was found fit to stand trial for serious sex trafficking charges. During a recent mental competency hearing held in New York, over 100 phone calls between Jeffries and his partner were presented as evidence.
Jeffries' defense team argues that he suffers from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, rendering him unfit for trial. However, prosecutors presented evidence from medical experts claiming that Jeffries’ cognitive condition has improved and that he is 'incredibly focused' on being ruled incompetent.
Recordings from last year include Jeffries explicitly stating that being found fit for trial would be a 'disaster' and expressing a desire for a favorable outcome from the assessments conducted on him. The audio also includes him discussing his previous experiences in prison and describing the conditions as 'horrible'.
In total, there were 109 phone calls recorded while Jeffries was treated at a federal prison in North Carolina. These phone calls have garnered attention for their contents, as prosecutors argue they indicate a level of awareness and strategy that contradict the claims of incompetence made by his defense team.
Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury is scheduled to make a ruling regarding Jeffries' mental fitness for trial in May. If deemed competent, the trial will proceed alongside his partner, Matthew Smith, and their alleged middleman, James Jacobson, all of whom face serious charges extending to the operation of a global sex trafficking ring.
Despite previous findings of Jeffries’ incompetence, prison officials later declared him fit after a supervisory assessment. As the situation evolves, the implications for his legal battle are substantial, awaiting the judge’s final decision.
