Two former luxury real estate brokers and their brother are scheduled to be sentenced in a New York City courtroom Tuesday, seven months after they were convicted of drugging and raping women in a sex trafficking ring.
Federal prosecutors are seeking life sentences for Oren and Alon Alexander, a pair of former powerful real estate brokers, and their brother, Tal.
Attorneys for the brothers, who have asserted their innocence, are seeking 15-year sentences for each defendant.
The men were found guilty in March of 10 counts, including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, after a trial that included testimony from 11 women who described being lured, drugged and sexually assaulted over a period of years.
Six of the women were part of the indictment.
In a sentencing memo, prosecutors in New York’s Southern District said more than 70 women came forward with allegations of abuse and accused the brothers of exploiting their wealth, influence and connections to target victims.
At trial, prosecutors said the brothers raped the women after having promised them parties and trips. One woman testified that she lost control of her body after she had a drink with Alon Alexander at a New York City club.
When she awoke, she testified, they were naked on a bed. She kept trying to get up, and he kept pushing her back down, she said.
When she told him that she didn’t want to have sex with him, she testified, he responded, “‘You already did.’”
In a sentencing submission, attorneys for the brothers acknowledged that they sometimes behaved insensitively toward women but categorically denied that any of them had raped or sexually assaulted anyone.
At trial, the attorneys described the sex as consensual and said the women were motivated in part by financial gain.
“All the stories were rehearsed,” Tal Alexander’s attorney, Deanna Paul, said in her closing argument. “They’re looking for money.”
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