Alexander Brothers Trial, Days 4–5: Testimony Introduces Pattern of Recruitment, Control, and Drug-Facilitated Assault

So far two witnesses described being allegedly assaulted during luxury trips arranged by the defendants, as the prosecution began laying factual groundwork consistent with federal sex-trafficking elements.

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U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

Presiding Judge: Valerie E. Caproni

Overview

Days 4 and 5 of the Alexander brothers’ federal trial introduced two new complainant witnesses, both testifying under court-approved pseudonyms, one of whose accounts expanded the prosecution’s narrative beyond isolated incidents and toward a pattern of recruitment, inducement, and exploitation tied to luxury travel and controlled environments.

While the court did not explicitly define sex trafficking during these proceedings, the factual record introduced over these two days began to lay critical evidentiary foundations relevant to trafficking under federal law.

Witness One: “Amelia Rosen” (Pseudonym)

The government called Amelia Rosen, a Ukrainian-born woman born in 1991, who testified that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by the Alexander brothers.

Rosen told the court that she has limited memory of how she came to be with the brothers on the night in question. During her testimony, prosecutors played a video recording (of her being raped by 2 men)  previously obtained by the government. Rosen testified that she had never fully watched the footage before and found the experience deeply distressing.

She described the video as:

• Painful

• Upsetting

• Confusing

  
  

Rosen stated she was unable to understand much of what she was saying in the recording and could not bring herself to watch it in full, instead skipping through portions. Her testimony emphasized the disorientation and fragmentation of memory commonly associated with alleged drug-facilitated sexual assault.

Witness Two: “Bella Koval” (Pseudonym)

The government next called Bella Koval, born March 1993, who testified regarding events that occurred during Labor Day weekend in 2016, when she was 23 years old.

Initial Contact & Recruitment

Koval testified that she matched with Alon Alexander on Raya, an invitation-only dating application marketed as exclusive and frequently used by individuals in entertainment, finance, and high-net-worth social circles. She stated that her friend Alison separately matched with Oren Alexander.

Koval testified that she was drawn to Alon in part because of the luxury lifestyle he portrayed on Instagram, including travel, social events, and access to elite spaces.

According to her testimony:

• The brothers invited Koval and Alison on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Hamptons.

• They offered to cover flights, lodging, food, and transportation.

• They emphasized that the women would have their own private, secure bedroom.

• They stated that other women would also be flown in.

• The women were told they needed to decide immediately and fly out the next day.

• Lodging would be at the brothers’ residence.

• A large social gathering was planned for the weekend.

  
  

Medical Vulnerability

Koval testified that earlier in 2016 she had undergone an appendectomy and had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a condition requiring her to avoid alcohol and certain foods. She explained that even small amounts of alcohol could cause severe abdominal pain, limiting her tolerance to only a few sips.

This medical context became significant later in her testimony.

Arrival & Environment

Koval described the initial interactions with the brothers as pleasant and cordial. However, she noted that the residence felt impersonal and staged, lacking photographs or personal items, an observation she said made the space feel more like a temporary or transitional environment than a lived-in home.

She and Alison were shown to a basement bedroom, where they later encountered other women preparing for what they were told would be a boat day.

A total of seven women boarded the boat. Koval testified that a male associate of the brothers, identified as Syed, asked to take photographs with the women, which made her uncomfortable.

She further testified that during the outing, multiple brothers engaged in flirtatious physical contact, sometimes touching her simultaneously, despite her only having matched with Alon.

Alleged Drugging and Assault

Koval testified that on the following evening, Oren Alexander handed her a drink in a red Solo cup. After taking only a few sips, she experienced a sudden and intense physical reaction:

• Tingling in her arms

• Rapid loss of motor control

• Fear and confusion

• A sensation that her body was shutting down

“As I entered the home, I felt this affecting my body rapidly and worsening every second,” she testified.

She attempted to return to her bedroom but stated that Alon intervened, directing her to a different bedroom she had not seen during the earlier tour. She testified that Alon later returned with a glass of water before leaving again.

Koval testified that she lay down, hoping the effects would pass. She was later awakened by the door opening and saw Oren Alexander enter the room. She stated it was dark outside and that she was unable to move.

She testified that she said, “Something is wrong,” but that Oren ignored her, pinned her down with his weight, and sexually assaulted her.

Koval described feeling “tranquilized” and unable to meaningfully resist, despite attempting to push him away and faintly saying “no” and “stop.” She testified that Oren showed no visible emotion during the assault.

Afterward, she stated that she was so traumatized that she fell back asleep, later waking with partial mobility restored.

Aftermath & Continued Control

Upon regaining consciousness, Koval returned to the basement and told Alison what had occurred. Both women wanted to leave immediately, but Koval testified they felt compelled to follow the itinerary set by the brothers, including another boat outing the next day.

She testified that they feared retaliation or consequences if they deviated from the plans.

Day 5: Cross-Examination & Additional Testimony

Defense Cross-Examination of Koval

On Day 5, prosecution resumed direct examination,  new information emerged alleging that Alison was gang-raped by the brothers and Syed during the same weekend. Defense counsel then reframed the brothers’ detailed itineraries as suggestions or invitations, rather than directives or control.

Corroborating Witness: “Ms. Reid”

The government called Ms. Reid, a close friend of Koval, who testified that Koval had confided in her about being drugged and sexually assaulted. Reid’s testimony was offered to corroborate out-of-court disclosures made by Koval following the alleged assault.

Legal Analysis: Laying the Groundwork for Sex Trafficking

Although the court did not explicitly define sex trafficking during Days 4–5, the testimony introduced several key elements relevant under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 1591).

Key Elements Emerging

Federal sex trafficking does not require physical transportation across borders. It includes:

1. Recruitment or Enticement

   • Use of dating apps

   • Emphasis on exclusivity and lifestyle

   • Rapid decision-making pressure

2. Provision of Things of Value

   • Flights, lodging, food, transportation

   • Luxury experiences and access

3. Abuse of Power or Vulnerability

   • Medical conditions limiting alcohol tolerance

   • Isolation in unfamiliar environments

   • Dependence on hosts for transportation and lodging

4. Use of Drugs or Coercion

   • Alleged drug-facilitated incapacitation

   • Loss of motor control and consciousness

   • Inability to consent or resist

5. Control of Movement and Itinerary

   • Structured schedules

   • Fear of deviating from plans

   • Reliance on defendants for safety and exit

     
     

Why This Matters

Taken together, these facts move beyond isolated allegations of sexual assault and toward a patterned system of inducement, control, and exploitation, which is central to sex-trafficking prosecutions.

The testimony from Days 4 and 5 begins to show how environments, incentives, and vulnerabilities can be leveraged, even without overt threats, force, or physical confinement.

Sidebar Legal Explainer

Justice_Portal_Legal_Explainer_Drug_Facilitated_SA_and_Trafficking.pdf

Download PDF • 4KB

Looking Ahead

As the trial continues, jurors will be asked to assess:

• Whether these repeated structures constitute coercive schemes

• Whether consent was possible under the circumstances described

• And whether the defendants’ conduct meets the statutory threshold for sex trafficking under federal law

  
  

The coming days are expected to further test these themes through additional witnesses, cross-examination, and expert testimony.