Federal judge denies Alexander brother bail on sex charges, saying real estate star is a flight risk
Federal judge denies Alexander brother bail on sex charges, saying real estate star is a flight risk
MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge ordered that a prominent real estate broker be held without bond Friday on sexual assault and trafficking charges, saying he is a flight risk as she rejected his family’s pledge of $115 million in real estate holdings to secure his release.
Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid’s ruling likely means that Tal Alexander’s brothers, twins Oren and Alon Alexander, will also be denied bail when they appear in Miami’s federal court next week as the proposed security package would have covered all three.
Earlier Friday, a Florida judge had granted Oren a $3 million bond and his twin $2 million on state charges stemming from the same investigation but they were ordered held pending their own federal hearing.
Reid agreed with the prosecution’s argument that Tal Alexander, because of the family’s wealth, would be a flight risk if released even if he was placed under house arrest and wore a GPS monitor, saying those provisions have “proven not to be foolproof” in other cases.
Federal prosecutor Lauren Astigarraga had argued that if Alexander, who is Jewish, fled to his parents’ homeland of Israel on a private jet, it would prove difficult to impossible to extradite him back to the United States. The 38-year-old is facing a likely life sentence if convicted on all counts.
Astigarraga also argued that the seriousness of the charges against Alexander shows that he is a danger to the community and that he could try to intimidate the victims who might testify against him at his trial. She compared his allegations to those against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is being held without bail on sex trafficking charges.
The Alexander brothers gained national attention after the accusations against them were made public months ago. Oren and Tal Alexander had risen to become stars in luxury real estate after co-founding their real estate firm, Official, which specialized in high-end properties in Miami, New York and Los Angeles.
FBI Special Agent Justine Atwood testified Friday that approximately 40 women who mostly don’t know each other have made similar allegations of being lured by the brothers to luxurious vacation spots and homes in Florida and New York, being drugged and then raped. She said there are graphic videos and photos and text messages exchanged between the brothers that substantiate the allegations.
Alexander’s attorney, Milton Williams Jr., argued that while the allegations are serious, the evidence is thin. In arguing for his proposed nine-figure bail package, Williams said the family would lose all of their wealth if any of the brothers fled. He said Tal Alexander is married and has a 2-week-old baby, making it unlikely that he would flee.
After losing his argument for bail, Alexander agreed to be transported to a federal jail in New York, where the federal charges were filed on Wednesday.
Earlier Friday in state court, Circuit Judge Lody Jean had granted the bail requests of his twin brothers, their he bond secured by their father’s home in Bal Harbour, Florida.
“I am satisfied that these are reasonable conditions that you all have fashioned,” Jean told the attorneys.
But because of the federal charges, the brothers still couldn’t be released.
Authorities arrested the brothers Wednesday on charges related to sex crime allegations in Miami and a federal sex trafficking case in New York City. A federal indictment accuses the brothers of using their wealth to lure, drug and sexually assault and rape multiple women over more than a decade.
The Alexander twins are also charged by the state of Florida for three separate instances of alleged sexual battery. Oren Alexander is facing three separate charges, while Alon Alexander is facing only one charge.
By TERRY SPENCER and STEPHANY MATAT
Associated Press
