Two famous real estate agents and their brother have been accused of sex trafficking in a case involving allegedly stunning, assaulting and raping dozens of women over more than a decade.
Prosecutors say Tal and Oren Alexander, who are known for selling high-end properties in New York and Miami, along with their brother Alon, used their wealth to take advantage of women.
The brothers were arrested in Florida on Wednesday and are expected to be taken to New York to face the charges.
A lawyer representing Oren Alexander denied the allegations. Alon Alexander’s attorney said her client will plead not guilty. Tal Alexander’s representative, Joel Denaro, declined to comment.
“As of today, law enforcement has interviewed dozens of women who reported being raped or sexually assaulted by at least one of the Alexander brothers,” Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a press conference in Manhattan .
“This behavior was, as alleged, abhorrent.”
Prosecutors say the alleged crimes were committed over more than a decade.
The indictment describes a scheme that involved inviting women to parties as well as using the promise of luxury experiences and travel to lure them to locations in the United States and abroad where the alleged assaults took place.
It also says they obtained drugs and gave them to the women and sometimes “sneaky” put them in drinks.
Finally, prosecutors also say that in some cases the brothers “physically restrained and held their victims down during the rapes and sexual assaults, ignoring screams and explicit requests to stop.”
Immediately after the assaults, the brothers allegedly provided some of the victims with concert tickets and other luxury items.
The three brothers are charged in one case each with participating in a sex trafficking conspiracy and another with sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
Tal Alexander is also charged with an additional count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
“Oren Alexander is innocent,” said his attorney, Susan Necheles.
“The evidence will show that neither he nor his brothers ever committed a crime.”
Meanwhile, a lawyer representing the women welcomed the charge.
“We are pleased to hear that there will finally be some accountability for the Alexander brothers and justice for their many victims,” David Gottlieb said in a statement issued by his law firm Wigdor LLP on X.
“We applaud all the survivors who have had the strength and courage to speak about their unimaginable experiences after years of pain and suffering.”
Tal and Oren Alexander have worked for real estate giant Douglas Elliman, listing properties for celebrities including Liam Gallagher, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.
In 2022, they started a company called Official.