Federal Judge Refuses Bail for Alexander Brother on Sexual Charges

MIAMI—A federal judge ruled on Friday that a well-known real estate broker should be held without bail due to charges of sexual assault and trafficking, citing flight risk concerns. The judge dismissed his family’s offer of $115 million in real estate holdings to secure his release.

Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid’s decision is likely to result in Tal Alexander’s brothers, twins Oren and Alon Alexander, being denied bail as well when they appear in a Miami federal court next week, as the proposed security package would have included all three brothers.

Earlier that day, a judge in Florida had approved Oren’s bail at $3 million and Alon at $2 million on state charges linked to the same investigation, but both were ordered to remain in custody pending their federal hearings.

Reid concurred with prosecution claims that Tal Alexander, due to his family’s wealth, poses a flight risk even if confined to house arrest with a GPS monitor, stating that such measures have “proven not to be foolproof” in prior instances.

Federal prosecutor Lauren Astigarraga emphasized that if Alexander, who is Jewish, fled to Israel on a private jet, extraditing him back to the United States could be exceedingly challenging. The 38-year-old faces a potential life sentence if found guilty of all charges.

Astigarraga further noted that the severity of the allegations suggests Alexander represents a danger to the community and could potentially intimidate witnesses testifying against him. She drew parallels between his case and that of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is also being held without bail on sex trafficking accusations.

The Alexander brothers drew national attention following the allegations against them made public several months ago. Oren and Tal Alexander had established themselves as prominent figures in luxury real estate by co-founding their firm, Official, which focuses on high-end properties in Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.

FBI Special Agent Justine Atwood testified that around 40 women, who mostly do not know each other, have made similar accusations of being enticed by the brothers to lavish vacation destinations and residences in Florida and New York, where they were allegedly drugged and raped. Atwood stated there are disturbing videos, images, and text messages exchanged between the siblings that corroborate the allegations.

Tal Alexander’s attorney, Milton Williams Jr., contended that while the accusations are serious, the evidence is weak. In support of his proposed nine-figure bail package, Williams claimed that the family would forfeit their entire wealth if any of the brothers absconded. He highlighted that Tal Alexander is married with a two-week-old baby, making the likelihood of him fleeing low.

After being denied bail, Alexander consented to be moved to a federal jail in New York, where charges were filed on Wednesday.

Earlier that same day in state court, Circuit Judge Lody Jean had granted bail requests for his twin brothers.

“I am satisfied that these are reasonable conditions that you all have fashioned,” Jean remarked to the attorneys.

Nonetheless, due to the federal charges, the brothers could not be released.

The authorities took the brothers into custody on Wednesday regarding allegations of sex crimes in Miami and a federal sex trafficking indictment filed in New York City. The federal charges accuse the siblings of using their wealth to entice, drug, and sexually assault multiple women over a period exceeding ten years.

Additionally, the Alexander twins face state charges in Florida for three distinct instances of alleged sexual battery, with Oren facing three charges and Alon facing one.

By Terry Spencer and Stephany Matat