Star luxury property brokers charged with sex trafficking in US

Two famous real estate brokers and their brother have been charged with sex trafficking in a case involving the alleged drugging, assaulting and raping of 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 rejected the accusations. Tal Alexander’s representative, Joel Denaro, declined to comment. Alon Alexander’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“As of today, law enforcement has interviewed dozens of women who reported being forcibly raped or sexually assaulted by at least one of the Alexander brothers,” said Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, at a press conference in Manhattan.

“This conduct, as alleged, was heinous.”

The 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 US and abroad where the alleged assaults happened.

It also says they procured drugs and provided them to the women and, at times, “surreptitiously” put them in drinks.

Finally, prosecutors also say that in some instances the brothers “physically restrained and held down their victims during the rapes and sexual assaults and ignored 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 being charged with one count each of engaging in a sex trafficking conspiracy, and a second count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

Tal Alexander is also charged with a further count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

“Oren Alexander is innocent,” said his lawyer, Susan Necheles.

“The evidence will show that neither he nor his brothers ever committed a crime.”

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing the women welcomed the indictment.

“We are glad to hear that there will finally be some measure of accountability for the Alexander brothers and justice for their many victims,” said David Gottlieb in a statement posted by his law firm Wigdor LLP on X.

“We applaud all the survivors who have had the strength and courage to speak up 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 firm called Official.

Source: BBC