Serious allegations involving prominent brokers Oren and Tal Alexander have sent shockwaves through the residential real estate industry in recent months. They have been accused in several lawsuits of committing sexual assaults dating as far back as their high school days. Large-scale news outlets such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have further brought the situation into public light, describing similar claims from an array of women. Among these accusers are prominent Los Angeles real estate broker Tracy Tutor and model Samantha Murphy, who is married to former Member of Congress Patrick Murphy.
These disturbing accusations have received categorical denials from the Alexander brothers, including their sibling Alon, who is engaged in their family’s private security sector. Subsequent to the initial revelations in The Real Deal regarding the first couple of lawsuits against the twins Oren and Alon, two more legal actions have emerged. These come under recently introduced laws that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations, enabling adult victims of seemingly gender-motivated or sexual violence to pursue compensation from their purported harassers.
Currently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting inquiries, inclusive of agents from a specialized unit focused on child exploitation and sex trafficking. These professionals are in dialogue with women who allege they were victimized by the brothers. Collectively, these lawsuits illuminate the intricate nature of seeking justice through litigation in cases of sexual assault, alongside revealing intricacies and loopholes in the New York laws in relation to age-old allegations.
Interestingly, civil lawsuits demand a lesser requirement for proof compared to criminal proceedings. In the latter, it is incumbent upon prosecutors to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty of a crime. The task of reaching this heightened threshold is challenging, even more so when the accusations relay incidents that transpired several years ago and might be past the legal timeframe to instigate charges – a span which changes from state to state.
In the context of New York, where the alleged instances unfolded as per the lawsuits, a state legislation was ratified in 2019. This law abolished the statute of limitations with respect to first-degree rape, and also widened the permissible timeframe to take legal action on other sex-related crimes, encompassing second and third-degree rape. Moreover, another change anticipated by the legislation was the extension of the deadline for filing civil lawsuits from one year following the purported attack to two decades afterwards.
Nonetheless, the implementation of this law is restricted to those crimes that are alleged to have occurred following its enforcement. In order to address this discrepancy, the state of New York along with New York City Council approved two independent laws. These laws reinstated the possibility for adult victims of gender-motivated or sexual violence to initiate legal action against their supposed aggressors, irrespective of the original assault timeline.
The window for bringing forth such cases, as outlined by the state’s Adult Survivors Act, was operational from November 23, 2023, and ended precisely a year after. Concurrently, the city’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law came into effect in March last year and is due to close in March 2025.
Ann Olivarius, an attorney who champions the cause of victims of sexual violence, discrimination and online harassment, notes that most survivors of sexual assault take a considerable amount of time to brave the disclosure – in fact, it might take them several years to reconcile with the incident.
The civil system plays a critical role in alerting other potential victims, points out Olivarius, a senior partner at the firm McAllister Olivarius. She is not participating in the court proceedings against the Alexanders. From her perspective, the process of filing civil lawsuits can often provide the only pathway to claiming justice for victims.
Interestingly, the timelines formalized in New York’s new state and city legislations are central to the arguments posed by Oren and Alon’s legal representatives. They have primarily contested at least two of the lawsuits, including one that was lodged last November by Rebecca Mandel, and another earlier this year by Angelica Parker.
Despite the multiple legal hurdles, the significance of these lawsuits can’t be overstated. As these cases unfold, they shed light on the travails and triumphs of survivors speaking up against their attackers – a scenario that’s all too common in today’s society, not just within the real estate sector.
In the end, regardless of the verdict, such high-profile cases serve as a strong reminder. They remind us that alleged perpetrators should be held accountable, irrespective of their standing in society. Furthermore, they underscore the critical importance of the legal developments that extend the window for victims to seek justice.
Undoubtedly, the landscape of New York’s real estate industry, and likely beyond, will be fundamentally altered by the developments and the ultimate outcomes of these cases. It underscores the urgency for businesses and individuals to prioritize ethical behavior and ensure a safer environment for all, thereby serving as a lesson for everyone, regardless of their business or industry.