Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been declared mentally inadequate to withstand trial on charges related to international understaffing business, according to a court filing published Thursday.
The 80-year-old was arrested in October and charged with organizing a sex party where a male model was reportedly forced into sexual acts, sexually paid and drug-taking.
In a newly released legal document, Jefferies' attorney, Brian Bieber, revealed that multiple medical evaluations over the past few months have concluded that Jefferies suffers from severe dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive impairments.
That's what the court filed news was It was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
According to one of the psychiatrists hired for the defense, Jeffries' condition has deteriorated until he needs certain supervision and care.
Experts raised by the prosecutors have come to similar conclusions, stating that Jeffries' condition is almost certain to get worse.
In light of these conclusions, Jeffries' legal team asked the court to stay in hospital for four months to assess whether he was likely to be capable of participating in legal proceedings.
The prosecutors are not opposed to the allegations.
A spokesman for the US Lawyer's Office in the Eastern District of New York declined to comment on the issue.
Jeffries, who ran Abercrombie from 1992 until his departure in 2014, has been charged in the past with federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.
The indictment alleges that Jeffries, his partner Matthew Smith and associate James Jacobson coordinated the international sex trafficking business between 2008 and 2015.
The three have been accused of inviting young men with promises of modeling opportunities, forcing them to take on sex events pretending to be false and being exposed to unconsensual sexual acts.
The victim was given drugs, forced to sign private agreements, and reportedly confiscated personal belongings during these events.
The suspicious activity took place in locations such as New York, Hampton, and various international destinations.
All three men pleaded not guilty.
Brad Edwards, the attorney representing the alleged victim in a civil suit against Jeffries, said his client would move forward their case regardless of the court's decision.
“I hope he gets rehabilitated and faces the penalty he deserves,” Edwards told the Journal.
“Nottheless, he cannot and will not escap liability for our civil society lawsuits.”
The criminal charges came in parallel with the disturbing allegations outlined in another civil suit, details of which were first reported by a post last month.
In that case, two aspiring male models filed a lawsuit in the Manhattan Supreme Court, claiming they had promised a well-paid job with Abercrombie.
Two men with no identity claim that they need to shave all their body hair and endure painful penis injections aimed at prolonging erections in the event of abuse.
According to a citizen complaint, Jeffries' associates named Jefferies recruited men around 2010 and 2011 and forced them into private meetings under the pretense of screening them to model opportunities.
One of the men reportedly was a teenager.
Both are allegedly sexually assaulted by Jacobson before they were introduced into a larger scheme.
Lawyer Robert George said the abuse allegedly occurred during international travel at facilities in Manhattan and Hampton.
