Two distinguished real estate mediators and their sibling find themselves implicated in a criminal investigation concerning sex trafficking.
Tal and Oren Alexander, renowned real estate brokers and siblings from Douglas Elliman's top tier, together with their brother Alon, were apprehended early Wednesday, as announced by a representative from the FBI's New York field office. Their expected court appearance is scheduled for later in the day in Miami.
Authorities accuse the Alexander brothers and associates of working in collusion and with other males to repeatedly drug, assault sexually, and rape multiple victims in New York, Miami, and elsewhere.
Using their prosperity and prestige as high-profile real estate brokers, they are believed to have attracted women with enticing promises of travel, luxurious hotel rooms, and exclusive event access. Once these trips and events occurred, the men are alleged to have frequently sexually assaulted and raped the women, sometimes within hours of meeting them. Following these incidents, they are said to have offered the women concert tickets or travel, as per the indictment.
The indictment claims that the Alexander brothers and others had prearranged these sexual assaults, using promises of luxury experiences, travel, and accommodations to lure and allure women to locations where they were then forced into rape or sexual assault, sometimes at the hands of multiple men including themselves.
Prosecutors allege that these brothers and others pooled finances to cover the women’s travel expenses. In choosing their targets, they reportedly shared photographs of women to select those they found attractive enough to invite, according to the indictment. The brothers and others are then said to have contacted these women through social media or dating apps and invited them to events, often even by purchasing their flights. They also allegedly worked with party promoters to find women to attend events, and in advance would secure cocaine, mushrooms, and GHB, according to the indictment. During these events and trips, the brothers are alleged to have "secretly" drugged the women's drinks, authorities claim.
The indictment states that the brothers often drugged their victims before assaulting them, rendering them incapable of resisting or escaping. During the attacks, they are alleged to have held down their victims and ignored their screams and clear requests to stop, as per the indictment.
Isabelle Kirschner, a lawyer who has represented Alon and Oren Alexander, the twins, in civil sex trafficking lawsuits, confirmed their arrest but declined further comment. Deanna Paul, a lawyer for the older brother Tal Alexander, also confirmed his arrest and had no further comment. Douglas Elliman did not respond to a request for comment.
Sexual assault allegations against Douglas Elliman agents have been a recurring issue for years, and the company's stock has plummeted as the crisis worsened. The company's previous CEO, Howard Lorber, retired abruptly in October.
All three brothers are charged with conspiring to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of one victim in 2016.
Tal Alexander is separately charged with sexually trafficking a second victim in July 2011. Prosecutors claim that the sexual assaults continued through 2021, as per 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 numerous civil lawsuits alleging they sexually assaulted several women.
According to one lawsuit, Alon and Tal raped a woman in 2012 "in a premeditated and coordinated sexual assault orchestrated by Oren Alexander and his brothers."
Representatives for the brothers have denied any wrongdoing to these allegations.
The Alexander brothers utilized their successful business in real estate to lure women with appealing offers, often resulting in sexual assaults. Their wealth allowed them to offer enticing trips and events, only for the assaults to occur subsequently.
The indictment also alleges that the brothers pooled funds to cover the women's travel expenses, further leveraging their business success to facilitate their illegal activities.
