Prison Phone Call Recordings Cast Doubt on Ex-Abercrombie Boss’s Trial Readiness

A New York federal court revealed that former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries expressed concern during recordings that he and his partner were in “big trouble” if he was found fit to stand trial on sex trafficking charges later this year. The audio was among over 100 calls between the 81-year-old and Matthew Smith, his British associate, presented during a four-day mental capacity review this week on Long Island.

Jeffries’ legal team claims he suffers from dementia and late-stage Alzheimer’s, arguing his cognitive abilities are insufficient to face trial alongside Smith and their alleged middleman, James Jacobson, in October. Prosecutors, however, assert that medical experts noted his condition has improved, and the calls suggest he remains “incredibly focused” on proving his incompetence.

“You better find me incompetent,” Jeffries told a doctor, as the court heard. He also remarked, “I don’t want to go on trips without you,” hinting at his awareness that regaining freedom could follow a ruling of mental incapacity.

Recordings from last year, when Jeffries was hospitalized in a federal prison in North Carolina, show him discussing travel plans in “excruciating detail” despite being on house arrest since 2024. Earlier, he had been declared mentally unfit in May, but prison officials later stated in December that he was fit for trial following his treatment.

The trio—Jeffries, Smith, and Jacobson—were charged in October 2024 with orchestrating a global sex trafficking and prostitution network. They have denied the allegations, which could lead to life imprisonment. The case emerged from a BBC investigation in October 2023 and a subsequent podcast series detailing their alleged activities.

Three defense experts, including Dr. Jacqueline C. Valdes, Dr. Alexander Bardey, and Dr. Miranda Rosenberg, testified that Jeffries’ mental decline began in 2013, marked by brain atrophy observed in MRI and CT scans. A 2018 fall in Cape Town, South Africa, and continued alcohol consumption were cited as exacerbating factors. Bardey, a forensic psychiatrist, noted Jeffries displayed “no sense of alarm or distress” during evaluations, likening his demeanor to “having lunch at his country club.”

Prosecutors countered that Jeffries often criticized prison conditions, claiming to Smith, “horrible jail was” the reason they had to “pull this off.” The judge, Nusrat J. Choudhury, will decide in May whether Jeffries can proceed to trial, weighing testimonies from six specialists, including prison doctors, who evaluated his mental state during the hearing.

Valdes also highlighted instances of Jeffries’ “disinhibited” behavior, such as calling the prosecutor’s psychologist a “cunning bitch” and complimenting her hair, as evidence of dementia symptoms. Meanwhile, Bardey and Rosenberg disputed this, suggesting the behavior reflected a lack of understanding about his legal restrictions and the gravity of the charges.