Real estate tycoons the Alexander brothers arrested on federal sex trafficking charges
The Alexander brothers -- Alon, Oren and Tal -- have been arrested on federal sex trafficking charges, according to New York prosecutors.
For well over a decade, the prominent real estate brothers conspired to "repeatedly and violently drug, sexually assault and rape dozens of women," according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in New York after the brothers were arrested in Miami on Wednesday.
"At times, the Alexander brothers 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 one or more of the Alexander brothers," the indictment said.
The alleged "long-running sex trafficking scheme" began in 2010 and relied on "deception, fraud and coercion," with the brothers flaunting their wealth to induce women to attend parties, events and trips where they were then attacked, prosecutors said.
Trips were organized in advance and the brothers allegedly shared photographs of women to make sure they were "sufficiently attractive." The brothers used dating apps or social media to contact them or used party planners as intermediaries, according to the indictment.
The Alexanders also procured drugs, including GHB and cocaine, and would sometimes spike women's drinks before assaulting them, the indictment said.
The brothers allegedly held down women and "ignored screams and explicit requests to stop."
The indictment includes two victims, identified only as Victim 1 and Victim 2, and charges the brothers with conspiracy and forcible sex trafficking.
Later Wednesday, an unidentified woman who alleged the brothers sexually assaulted her in 2016 filed a lawsuit in New York, according to her attorney.
The suit seeks relief under New York City's Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act and a pending complaint will describe the plaintiff's case in more detail, according her attorneys John Morgan and Carissa Peebles.
"Our client is one of the brave victims who is sharing her experience. We are pleased that the Miami District Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have decided to bring criminal charges against the Alexander brothers, and we will continue to fight on behalf of our client and seek accountability to the fullest extent of the law," they said in a statement.
The brothers began their careers at Douglas Elliman, focusing on the real estate market in New York and Miami. They left and launched their own firm, Official, in 2022.
They had previously been accused in civil lawsuits of various acts of sexual misconduct.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said the brothers' "heinous" alleged misconduct dates back to when they were in high school. The number of alleged victims is therefore "quite significant," and officials expect more to come forward, Williams said.
"It does take tremendous bravery for victims to speak out, but when they do, other people tend to gather that bravery as well. Bravery can be very infectious," he said.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy praised the women who took their allegations to law enforcement, saying investigations like this one are "only possible because of the bravery victims show in coming forward."
"We will not allow this type of alleged behavior to go unimpeded," Dennehy said. "Predators forcefully coercing victims into sexual acts cannot and will not be tolerated."
In a separate press conference in Miami on Wednesday, Florida State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle described some of the allegations against the brothers, one of which she called a "gang rape."
Rundle thanked the women who came forward and encouraged any other potential victims to contact law enforcement.
"These women are strong and they are resilient, and they are an example to anyone else out there who has experienced sexual violence or has been a witness to it," Rundle said.
ABC News' Jason Volack contributed to this report.
