More accusations added to federal sex trafficking case against Alexander brothers

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Three real estate brothers accused of a scheme to sex traffic women across multiple states and Mexico were in a federal courtroom in New York on Tuesday to face a third superseding indictment.
An added count against Alon Alexander and Oren Alexander brings the total to 10 counts against them and Tal Alexander.
They pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The brothers appeared in hand and leg shackles, wearing olive prison attire. They greeted their parents on their way in and out of the brief arraignment.
Federal prosecutors have accused the men of working together to drug, sexually assault and rape dozens of victims from 2009 to 2021. The charges allege that the brothers promised women luxury experiences to lure them to locations where they were sexually assaulted and raped. Seven victims are included in the indictment, including a minor.
Federal prosecutors have said they have spoken to more than 60 alleged victims of the men.
The new count alleges that Alon and Oren gave a drug, intoxicant or other substance to a woman without her knowledge to cause her to engage in a sex act on a Bahamian cruise ship that departed from and arrived in the United States.
An attorney for Alon, Howard Srebnick, said his client had not drugged a woman to have sex with her.
"On Jan. 13, 2025, a retired FBI polygraph examiner tested Alon while in jail. Alon was asked if he ever had sex with any woman he knew had been covertly given drugs, which Alon denied," Srebnick said. "The polygraph examiner opined that Alon passed the lie detector test, there were 'no significant reactions indicative of deception' by Alon."
An attorney for Oren said his client will continue to fight the charges.
"The court reiterated that the government must now comply with its obligation to produce evidence exculpating Oren and his brothers. We look forward to a time when we can present all such material in a public forum," said Richard Klugh.
An attorney for Tal declined to comment Tuesday.
Earlier Tuesday, attorneys for the three brothers appeared in circuit court to appeal their detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where they have been held since December.
"They did not agree to provide sex in exchange for the travel or accommodations,' Deanna Paul, defense attorney for Tal Alexander, wrote in a dismissal motion filed Monday in the Southern District of New York in Manhattan.
"The alleged travel and accommodations were not conditioned expressly, or implicitly, on the victims' participation in the sex acts; and the travel and accommodations did not represent compensation for the sex acts,' the motion says, citing four federal court decisions on the sex trafficking law requiring that connection to hold up.
Their next hearing is set for Aug. 19.
The Alexander brothers filed a defamation lawsuit this week against The Real Deal, a real estate publication, seeking $500 million in damages for what they say has been a 'smear campaign' against them that 'has relentlessly published articles containing false and misleading statements.'
The Real Deal strongly rejected the allegations.
"Let's be clear: this lawsuit is not about justice. It's an attempt to stop investigative journalism and bully a newsroom for doing its job,' founder and publisher Amir Korangy said in a statement Tuesday. 'The Real Deal's reporting was fair and conscientious, and we are confident the courts will see this for what it is — a frivolous and cynical attempt to weaponize the legal system."
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com