Mike Jeffries, the former chief executive of Abercrombie & Fitch, will face trial in a U.S. federal court after being deemed fit to stand trial. The decision was made despite the months the 81-year-old had spent in hospital due to health problems, including symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
According to the court, Jeffries has the mental capacity to understand the charges, follow the proceedings and cooperate with his lawyers in preparing his defense.
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The former executive is charged with sex trafficking and rape, charges he has denied by pleading not guilty. The case concerns an alleged network of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Prosecutors allege that Jeffries and his associates used their power and influence to lure and sexually abuse men during events held in various locations.
Before the ruling, the defense had argued that Jeffries’s health condition could prevent him from effectively participating in a complex legal proceeding. He had spent months in hospital under the care and monitoring of doctors.
Following medical evaluations, the court concluded that the former director’s health problems were not such as to render him unfit to stand trial.
Jeffries led Abercrombie & Fitch from 1992 to 2014. During those years, he played an important role in transforming the company into a global fashion brand.
His tenure at the helm of the company brought major results in the market, but was also accompanied by numerous controversies. The position he held for years at one of the best-known American fashion companies has caused the case to attract widespread attention.
The trial is now expected to focus on the evidence and testimony to be presented in court, in one of the highest-profile cases involving a former senior executive of a major American company.
