The Alexander brothers were New York's golden boys. Then an Australian woman spoke out.

Like many Australians living abroad, Kate Whiteman was chasing a career and building new friendships when she first moved to New York City.

Just over a decade later, Kate would become the first woman to publicly accuse prominent New York real estate figures Oren and Alon Alexander of sexual assault, filing a civil lawsuit in March 2024.

In the suit, Kate alleged the assault took place at a Hamptons property in 2012. Her lawsuit triggered a wave of similar claims from more than 60 other women against the property high-flyers and ultimately led to an FBI investigation.

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The Alexander brothers, along with their older brother, Tal, are facing federal criminal charges, with a trial scheduled to take place in New York later this month

But Kate didn't live to see her alleged attackers face justice. In December last year, Kate was found dead near Sydney. She was 45. The New South Wales Coroner's office said her death was not suspicious, and no cause has yet been publicly determined.

For many Australians, Kate's story will be their first exposure to a case that spans more than ten years, includes dozens of alleged victims, and takes place in a world of extreme wealth, power and privilege.

Who are the Alexander brothers?

Twins, Oren and Alon Alexander, along with their older brother Tal, were once fixtures in the high-end property world of New York, Miami and other US states.

Born to Israeli immigrant parents in Florida's affluent Bal Harbour, the brothers built their careers in real estate and related luxury industries.

Oren and Alon Alexander. Image: Getty.

Oren and Tal became star agents at major firms, brokering homes in the world's most exclusive markets and securing historic deals — most notably, the $354 million AUD penthouse sale overlooking New York's Central Park.

Their circle included celebrities and high-profile clients, from Kim Kardashian and Kanye West to artists, financiers and fashion figures such as Tommy Hilfiger. They were known as much for their social presence as their sales figures.

In 2022, Oren and Tal left their established brokerage to launch their own firm, further cementing their image as global power players. Alon worked within the family's private security business but was part of the brothers' shared social and professional network.

By then, the Alexander brothers were being treated less like property agents and more like celebrities, and were regularly featured in the media.

Tal and Oren Alexander. Image: Getty.

The New York Times ran a lifestyle profile of Tal and Oren that followed them through a typical Sunday.

Soon after, The Wall Street Journal devoted an "exclusive" to the brothers as they listed a jointly owned Miami Beach home for $46 million AUD.

The following year, Vogue covered Oren's wedding to a Brazilian model, including details of his Aspen proposal and the 350-guest engagement celebration held during Miami's Art Basel.

The brothers enjoyed lavish parties, luxury travel and high-end networking. But prosecutors now allege that lifestyle masked decades of predatory behaviour.

The allegations.

Federal prosecutors allege that the Alexander brothers used their wealth and status to lure women to private events, parties and trips, including in New York, Miami and the Hamptons, with the promise of luxury experiences before allegedly drugging, sexually assaulting and raping them.

According to the superseding indictment in federal court, the alleged conduct spanned more than a decade, between 2010 and 2021, and was carried out in multiple states.

Oren and Alon Alexander. Image: Getty.

Prosecutors describe a pattern in which women were recruited through social media, nightclubs and personal encounters, then provided drugs such as GHB, cocaine or mushrooms, sometimes without their knowledge, before the alleged assaults took place.

Kate's 2024 lawsuit alleged she was taken to a Hamptons estate owned by a friend of the brothers after meeting them in a New York nightclub, and was assaulted there.

Other early suits described similar scenarios, including women being driven to apartments or other private locations.

Prosecutors say they have spoken to more than 60 women who claim to have been assaulted by one or more of the brothers, and at least dozens of civil lawsuits have been filed.

The brothers have denied all wrongdoing, and their lawyers have challenged the indictment and sought to dismiss some of the charges.

The charges.

Kate's civil suit was one of the first to surface publicly and reportedly opened the door to broader scrutiny of the brothers' conduct.

In December 2024, the Alexander brothers were arrested by federal authorities and charged with sex trafficking conspiracy and related offences in Manhattan.

The charges include multiple counts relating to alleged rape, coercion and trafficking, each of which carries a possible sentence of decades to life in prison.

All three brothers pleaded not guilty and are being held in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Centre ahead of trial. State prosecutors in Florida and other jurisdictions have filed additional felony sexual battery charges connected to specific alleged incidents.

Federal trial proceedings are set to begin on January 26.

If you or anyone you know needs to speak with an expert, please contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) — the National Sexual Assault, domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service.

Feature image: Getty.