A US federal judge has ruled that former Abercrombie & Fitch chief executive Mike Jeffries is mentally competent to stand trial on sex trafficking and prostitution charges, overturning an earlier finding that he was unfit due to dementia and suspected early Alzheimer's disease. Judge Nusrat Choudhury reached the decision after reviewing Jeffries' medical records and more than 21 hours of recorded phone calls, concluding there was "ample evidence" that he understood the proceedings against him, a ruling that clears the way for a high-profile trial examining his conduct while running the fashion retailer.

Jeffries, 81, faces over a dozen charges alongside his partner Matthew Smith and alleged middleman James Jacobson, relating to a global sex trafficking and prostitution operation; all three deny wrongdoing, and a guilty verdict could bring a life sentence. The judge said the phone recordings were "particularly illuminating" in showing Jeffries as a fluent conversational partner capable of learning new information, though the court will make accommodations for his age and cognitive issues, including shortened trial hours and extra breaks. The case follows a 2023 BBC investigation into allegations that Jeffries used his wealth and influence to recruit young men for sex; the trial is due to begin on 26 October.