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It’s hard to imagine a more dramatic fall from grace than that of Oren and Tal Alexander, the once star brokers who’ve been yanked from the top of the New York City real estate world and jailed.
The pair — along with Oren’s twin brother Alon — were arrested early Wednesday morning and charged with three counts of federal sex trafficking. The case is being prosecuted by attorneys in the Southern District of New York.
A conviction could result in a sentence of life in prison. Here’s what to know about the arrests of the three brothers.
The Alexander brothers were once unparalleled among New York City brokers
Over the past decade, Oren and Tal Alexander have been among the most successful real estate agents in the country, serving ultrawealthy clients and celebrities. Among them are hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, and former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Their father, Shlomi Alexander, built a real estate empire in South Florida, which provided Oren and Tal wealth and connections for building their own business. In 2019, the pair recorded the most expensive residential real estate sale in U.S. history — a $238 million swap at 220 Central Park South in Manhattan.
The brothers got their start at Douglas Elliman but left the firm in 2022 to found Official Partners, a luxury real estate agency affiliated with white-label brokerage Side. Though born into considerable wealth, their success pushed their net worth close to nine figures.
Alon Alexander works for Kent Security, a private security company founded by his parents.
The Wednesday morning arrest was dramatic
According to Bloomberg News, the scene of Oren Alexander’s arrest mirrored that of a Hollywood movie. Acting on search warrants, the FBI and Miami police knocked down the gates of Oren’s waterfront property and knocked out security cameras.
At about 6 a.m. ET, agents used a bullhorn and called on Oren to surrender, a demand that lasted about an hour. A number of passersby watched the scene unfold. A grocery delivery man was turned away by law enforcement, but he took a picture to show he made an attempt to deliver.
“I guess I’ll be keeping these groceries for myself,” the man told Bloomberg.
The scale and scope of the alleged assaults is disturbing
While the charges against the Alexanders are related to two specific unnamed women, prosecutors say these were just a couple of victims among “dozens” of women who claim they were assaulted by the brothers.
The eight-page indictment alleges that the Alexanders have been operating a sex trafficking scheme since about 2010, which involved luring in women with promises of material benefits, only to drug and rape them.
But prosecutors say that they were drugging and raping women dating back to high school. The drugs involved included cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms and the “date rape” drug GHB.
When the women pushed back against the assaults, they were physically restrained and held down. Many screamed for help, while others blacked out and recollections of the event only came back later.
These women included real estate industry professionals and others they met casually through dating apps or social events.
The arrests are hardly a surprise
While Wednesday’s arrest was the most significant turn yet in the saga of accusations against the brothers, it is not the beginning.
In March, two women filed lawsuits against Oren and Alon, claiming the pair drugged and raped them in incidents similar to those in the new indictment. The events took place in 2010 and 2012, and one woman was 18 years old at the time of the alleged assault.
In response, other women came forward with similar accusations, many of whom were interviewed by the The New York Times for an expose that cast the Alexanders as having dozens of victims.
In July, The Wall Street Journal reported that the FBI was investigating allegations of assault against the three brothers, and it appears that Wednesday’s events are the culmination of that process.
Official Partners is on life support
To the extent that Tal and Oren Alexander’s brokerage still exists, it may not for much longer. In the wake of the lawsuits and the Times’ article, business partners abandoned Official Partners and the brothers. Shortly after, they took leaves of absence from the brokerage.
In October, Side sued the brothers and Official for defaulting on a $4.6 million promissory note, claiming that they breached the terms of the loan by dissociating from their real estate licenses and tried to move the underlying collateral on the loan. Regarding the latter charge, Side filed a restraining order against Tal and Oren.
The brothers filed responses accusing Side of manufacturing the event of default by unilaterally dissociating their real estate licenses and by refusing to reinstate them. They also claim they were not dodging requests for an update on the collateral but instead didn’t receive mail owing to renovations on their homes.
Side’s lawsuit makes reference to the sexual assault allegations against the brothers. While their arrest isn’t likely to materially affect that case, it’s yet another complication to the brothers’ business dealings.
This isn’t over, and other men may be charged
Prosecutors made clear at a press conference Wednesday afternoon that the investigation is ongoing and that charges against other perpetrators could be forthcoming. Attorneys for the Southern District of New York have targeted other alleged sex traffickers, including rapper Sean Combs.
Given the number of women who’ve made accusations against the brothers — and the multiple legal avenues available for victims — it’s hard to imagine that the issues facing the Alexanders will end anytime soon, even if they’re acquitted in the charges filed on Wednesday.
