USA v Alexander: New International Allegation Introduced as Alexander Trial Resumes.

U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York Presiding Judge: Valerie E. Caproni

After a short break, the federal trial of Tal, Oren, and Alon Alexander resumed this week in Manhattan, opening a new chapter with testimony from a woman who says she was assaulted by Alon Alexander in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2016. Her account, though not part of the formal indictment, was offered by prosecutors to expand the jury’s view of alleged conduct over time and across locations.

Tel Aviv Testimony: A New Geographic Context

Using the pseudonym Ava Wells to protect her identity, the witness told jurors that she met Alon Alexander at a networking event in New York in 2012 and remained in occasional contact. She said that while on a trip to Tel Aviv with her friend Sofie Langan, (a client turned friend), she reached out to Alon after seeing he was in the city and accepted his invitation for drinks at his Airbnb.

While in Tel Aviv, she learned that her grandmother in California had passed away. Not wanting to spoil her friend Sofie's trip by focusing on her own grief or appearing upset, she tried to compartmentalize her emotions. According to her account, the evening turned distressing when she was alone in a bedroom with Alon. She testified that Alon made an unwanted sexual advance, and when she tried to push him away and repeatedly stated she did not want sex, he grabbed her wrists and forced himself on her. She described the experience as terrifying and deeply violating. Afterward, Wells mouthed to Langan that she had been raped. This was yet another unfortunate event for her, and according to her testimony, she did her best to suppress her emotions to avoid ruining her friend's trip.

Later, they joined Alon and others for dinner, where she was introduced to his brother Tal simply as "his brother." Langan began to leave shortly after, and Wells did the same. Wells said the experience lingered with her. When asked why she chose to testify now, she responded bluntly, "He didn’t listen to me then, but he can hear me now."

Corroboration and Key Observations from Sofie Langan

Wells’ friend Sofie Langan also took the stand to offer corroborative testimony. Langan confirmed that she saw Wells appear uneasy with Alon earlier in the evening, including a moment where she saw Wells sitting next to Tal, and Tal appeared to be trying to talk to her while she seemed distressed and disengaged. This detail adds a layer of contemporaneous observation about Wells’ demeanour during the encounter.

Langan also recounted that Wells whispered to her afterward that something had gone wrong. At the time, Langan admitted she “seemed upset” and later felt guilty for not intervening more forcefully in the moment. She testified that after news of other allegations against the Alexanders emerged, she reached out to Wells again to apologize for not being more supportive.

Defense Cross-Examination

During cross-examination, defense attorney Howard Srebnick focused heavily on inconsistencies between Wells’ current testimony and earlier statements she had made to prosecutors and civil attorneys. He queried her memory of specific details about the night in Tel Aviv and questioned her motivations for retaining civil counsel.

Srebnick also probed Wells about a text message she shared with her lawyers in which she called Alon a “rapist.” Wells acknowledged that she redacted a “hahaha” typed at the end of the message, explaining that “nothing about that was funny.” When the defense pointed out the casual language, she replied, “neither is accusing someone of rape.” This line of questioning reflects a consistent defense strategy seen throughout the trial: challenging witness credibility by highlighting differences between earlier statements and live courtroom testimony. Earlier in the case, defense lawyers argued that photographs, messages, and other materials undermine or contradict accusers’ narratives. During re-direct, Mr. Jones inquired about how she manages stress and intense emotions. Miss Wells replied that she typically uses humour to deal with serious and heavy situations.

Legal Context: Introducing Uncharged Conduct

Wells’ Tel Aviv testimony is not charged in the current indictment. Still, prosecutors said they were bringing it forward to support a broader pattern narrative, suggesting alleged behaviors spanning multiple years and diverse contexts. Such evidence which are often referred to as uncharged conduct , can be permissible in federal court if it is relevant to issues like intent, pattern, motive, or absence of mistake. This is a procedural mechanism regularly used in complex cases where similar alleged conduct may help jurors understand context. Defense attorneys, however, have argued that expanding into unindicted acts risks confusing the jury or leading to undue prejudice. Judge Caproni has been tasked with balancing these concerns by applying Federal Rules of Evidence and ensuring both sides can fairly present their positions.

Prosecution & Defense Calls Real Estate Witness in Hamptons Leasing Testimony

As proceedings continued, prosecution & defense presented testimony from a Hamptons-based real estate professional who handled summer rentals connected to the Alexander brothers.The witness testified that he had conducted business with the brothers over multiple seasons, primarily working with Oren and Tal, and described their leasing arrangements as typical high-end summer rentals spanning Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend, consistent with luxury Hamptons leasing practices at the time. He testified that large summer homes in the Hamptons were frequently rented by groups of young professionals who would split costs, a common arrangement known locally as a “share house.”

What Is a Share House?

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, it was common for groups, often in their twenties and thirties, to jointly lease expansive homes for the summer season. Rent, utilities, and staff costs were divided among occupants. These houses were often used for weekend gatherings and social events, particularly during peak summer holidays.

The witness testified that such arrangements were not unusual and were widely understood as part of seasonal Hamptons culture.

He also confirmed that certain lease documentation did not include Oren’s name directly, noting that other individuals were listed on paperwork related to the rental arrangement.

The defense appeared to use this testimony to establish:

• That the rental process followed customary Hamptons real estate practices

• That no red flags were formally raised through property management channels

• That business relationships between the brothers and brokers were longstanding

On cross-examination, prosecutors questioned the scope of the witness’s knowledge including whether he was present during gatherings, and how closely he monitored activity inside the home.

The exchange highlighted a recurring trial theme: whether business normalcy and social status negate or simply obscure alleged behavior.

Relevance to the Broader Case

The testimony appeared aimed at reinforcing the defense narrative that:

• The leasing structure was ordinary for the Hamptons market

• Group occupancy was common practice

• Neighbor complaints related to noise, not violence or criminal allegations

Prosecutors, meanwhile, sought to suggest that the party environment, including documented complaints, may be relevant context when evaluating other testimony presented earlier in the trial.

As the trial continues, jurors are not only assessing credibility, they are also being asked to consider how testimony like Miss Wells’ fits within the federal definition of sex trafficking. Under U.S. law, sex trafficking does not require international transport; it centers on whether sexual activity was obtained through force, coercion, or manipulation within a broader pattern of conduct. Prosecutors argue that accounts spanning years and locations demonstrate that pattern. The defense however, maintains that isolated encounters are being reframed to fit a larger narrative.