Two prominent real estate brokers and their brother charged in sex trafficking case
CNN
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Federal prosecutors charged two prominent real estate brokers and their brother in a sex trafficking scheme, alleging they baited, drugged and sexually assaulted multiple women since 2010.
Tal and Oren Alexander, top real estate brokers and brothers who started at real estate company Douglas Elliman, and their brother Alon, were arrested Wednesday morning, according to a spokesman for the FBI's New York field office. They are expected to make a court appearance later in the day in Miami.
Prosecutors allege the Alexander brothers worked together and with other men "to repeatedly and violently drug, sexually assault, and rape dozens of victims" in New York, Miami and elsewhere.
Authorities say they used their wealth and status as elite brokers to lure women whom they promised travel, luxury rooms at high end hotels, and access to events. During those trips and events, they allege, the men "frequently raped and sexually assaulted the women" sometimes within hours of meeting them. After the assault, prosecutors say they sometimes offered the women concert tickets or travel.
According to the indictment they "arranged for these sexual assaults well in advance, using the promise of luxury experiences, travel, and accommodations to lure and entice women to locations where they were then forcibly raped or sexually assaulted, sometimes by multiple men," including themselves.
Prosecutors allege the brothers and others would pool financial resources to pay for the women's travel expenses. In choosing targets they'd share photographs of women to "select those they found sufficiently attractive to invite, according to the indictment. The brothers and others allegedly contacted the women through social media or dating apps and invited them to attend events, often by purchasing their flights. They also allegedly worked with party promoters to find women to attend events, and in advance would obtain cocaine, mushrooms and GHB, according to the indictment. During these events and trips, the brothers allegedly "surreptitiously drugged women's drinks," authorities allege.
The brothers often "drugged their victims before assaulting them, preventing them from fighting back or escaping," the indictment says. The brothers allegedly held down their victims during the attacks and "ignored screams and explicit requests to stop," according to the indictment.
Isabelle Kirschner, an attorney who has represented Alon and Oren Alexander, who are twins, in civil sex trafficking lawsuits, confirmed their arrest and declined further comment. Deanna Paul, an attorney for older brother Tal Alexander, also confirmed his arrest and had no further comment. A spokesperson for Douglas Elliman did not respond to a request for comment.
Sexual assault allegations have been levied against Douglas Elliman agents for years, and the company's stock has plunged as the crisis grew. The company's former CEO, Howard Lorber, abruptly retired in October.
All three brothers have been charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of one victim in 2016.
Tal Alexander is separately charged with sex trafficking of a second victim in July 2011. Prosecutors allege the sexual assaults continued through 2021, according to the indictment.
The US attorney's office for the Southern District of New York has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday afternoon at 1 pm ET.
The three brothers have faced multiple civil lawsuits alleging they sexually assaulted numerous women.
According to one lawsuit, Alon and Tal raped a woman in 2012 "in a coordinated sexual assault that was planned and facilitated by Oren Alexander along with his brothers."
Representatives for the brothers have previously denied any wrongdoing to those allegations
