Michael Jeffries, the former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO charged with two others over young men allegedly sex trafficked at parties, was ruled unfit for trial by a federal judge. Reportedly suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other ailments, Jeffries was ordered hospitalized in Federal Bureau of Prisons custody by Judge Nusrat Choudhury.
"The court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant is presently suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent to the extent that he is unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him or to assist properly in his defense," Choudhury wrote.
Both legal teams requested the move, reports ABC News.
Jeffries has been free on $10 million bond since pleading not guilty in October to federal charges of sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.
Prosecutors say he, his romantic partner and a third man used the promise of modeling jobs to lure men to drug-fueled sex parties in New York City, the Hamptons and other locations. The charges announced in October echo sexual misconduct accusations made in a civil case and the media in recent years.
Jeffries' decades-long run at Abercrombie ended in 2014: he was forced out over claims of religious and racial discrimination, fatphobic "look" policies in marketing and hiring, and public comments such as "Are we exclusionary? Absolutely." To this day, though, the company is on the hook for Jeffries' legal bills in the criminal case.
The fashion brand, which has previously said it was "appalled and disgusted" by Mr Jeffries' alleged conduct, had signed an agreement in 2014 when the ex-CEO resigned, covering him for the costs of any criminal proceedings which arose from his position.
Previously:
• Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO among men arrested in sex trafficking investigation
• Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO charged with sex trafficking 'has dementia,' his lawyers claim
• Sex crimes: FBI investigating Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries
• Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO, facing sex trafficking claims, sues his old company
• Abercrombie and Fitch to be fined after firing headscarf-wearing Muslim
• Supreme Court nails Abercrombie and Fitch 8-1 over discrimination policy
