Alexander brothers arrested, face sex trafficking charges
The celebrity real estate brokers are accused of using their “wealth and prominent position in real estate” to drug and sexually assault women.
High-profile luxury real estate agents Tal and Oren Alexander and their brother Alon were arrested Wednesday and charged with sex trafficking in a case involving "dozens of victims" and spanning decades, federal authorities said.
How we got here: The charges come after months of lawsuits and years of accusations involving the brothers. A grand jury indictment unsealed Wednesday said they lured women to isolated places, then drugged and raped them. And a statement from the U.S. Attorney's office in New York said they used their "wealth and prominent position in real estate" to do it.
Tal and Oren Alexander started their own brokerage in 2022 but found fame while with Douglas Elliman in the 2010s, when some assaults are alleged to have taken place. Elliman's connection to the brothers had been facing scrutiny at the time of its CEO's resignation in October.
What the brothers have to say: The Alexanders have denied wrongdoing. Earlier this year their attorney called allegations reported by The Real Deal a "shakedown."
What's next? The three brothers, who were arrested in Miami, will face trial in New York.
Official, the real estate company founded by Tal and Oren Alexander with brokerage platform Side (which is now suing them), has faced "a mass exodus" of executives and agents, the Wall Street Journal reported. The brothers have taken leaves of absence from the firm.
Meanwhile, officials are urging victims or anyone with information about crimes that may have been committed to come forward. "Our investigation is far from over," U.S. attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.