Alexander Brothers Are Convicted Of Sex Trafficking In Case That Shocked Real Estate World

NEW YORK — Three brothers, including 2 of nan nation’s astir successful luxury existent property brokers, were convicted of activity trafficking charges Monday aft a five-week proceedings complete accusations that they utilized narcotics and unit to rape scores of women they had dazzled pinch their wealthiness and opulent lifestyle.

The verdict came aft 11 women testified they were sexually assaulted by 1 aliases much of nan brothers: twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 38, and Tal Alexander, 39.

The women described attacks that occurred aft they were invited to picnic locales including nan Hamptons, a Caribbean cruise and a skis travel successful Aspen, Colo. More than 60 women opportunity they were raped by 1 aliases much of nan brothers, according to prosecutors.

Defense lawyers suggested nan accusers had faulty memories aliases were hoping to rate successful connected nan brothers’ fortunes. The brothers, their lawyers conceded, were womanizers. But they insisted immoderate activity was consensual.

The assemblage began deliberating Thursday.

Oren and Tal Alexander were brokers astatine existent property powerhouse Douglas Elliman earlier starting their ain firm, Official. Alon Alexander worked astatine nan family’s backstage information firm.

Besides nan criminal case, nan trio faced astir 2 twelve lawsuits, including 1 revenge Thursday by Tracy Tutor, a prima of “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles” connected Bravo. She alleges Oren Alexander drugged and assaulted her successful a edifice bath while she was successful New York City for a existent property event.

When those lawsuits first began being filed, aggregate women came guardant claiming they had besides been sexually harassed aliases assaulted, and that nan brothers’ misconduct pinch women had been an unfastened concealed successful nan existent property world for years.

During nan trial, galore of nan women who testified said they believed they’d been drugged aft they were handed intoxicant by 1 of nan brothers. Some described emotion for illustration they’d mislaid power of their bodies aft little than 1 drink.

The brothers met nan women astatine nightclubs, parties and connected making love apps, taking immoderate connected trips to ritzy locales, and paying for flights and luxury lodging. One female testified that she met nan brothers successful 2012 astatine a statement astatine character Zac Efron’s Manhattan apartment. She said she had almost nary relationship pinch nan actor, who was not accused of immoderate misdeeds, and went to a nightclub later successful nan nighttime earlier waking up naked pinch a nude Alon Alexander opinionated complete her.

Prosecutors pushed backmost connected nan thought that nan accusers were hoping to rate successful connected lawsuits. Only 2 person lawsuits pending, charismatic Elizabeth Espinosa told jurors, and some are able themselves.

One female who testified said she was raped by Alon Alexander successful Aspen successful 2017, erstwhile she was 17 years old. She said she was nan girl of a billionaire.

“I don’t want their money. I conscionable don’t want them to person it,” she told jurors.

Lindsey Acree, an creator and assemblage proprietor successful Brooklyn, testified she was raped by Tal Alexander and a 2nd man astatine a location successful nan Hamptons successful nan summertime of 2011 aft becoming truthful disoriented from drinking little than half a solid of vino that she felt paralyzed.

The woman, now 40, said she sued Tal Alexander past twelvemonth moreover though she will “never request their money” because she became upset that nan Alexanders “kept calling america golden diggers, shakedown artists, con artists.”

“If there’s a kid pinch a instrumentality who keeps hitting people, you return their instrumentality away,” she told nan jury. “Money is their stick, truthful you return it distant truthful they can’t wounded group anymore.”

The Associated Press does not typically place group who opportunity they are victims of intersexual battle unless they take to travel guardant publicly, arsenic Acree and Tutor person done.

Besides witnesser testimony, prosecutors tried to beryllium their lawsuit done matter and email messages successful which nan brothers seemed to boast astir their intersexual exploits and their knowledge of nan effects various narcotics tin person connected a woman’s inhibitions, on pinch a blog that included a station titled: “It’s not rape if ...”

Prosecutors said nan brothers emailed astir sneaking narcotics — aliases “party favors” — onto a cruise ship, recorded astatine slightest 1 battle connected video and shared photos of victims.

Sisak and Neumeister constitute for nan Associated Press.