In June, a real estate publication reported that several women had filed sexual assault-related claims against the brothers. More accusations followed, and, in December, all three of the Alexander brothers were arrested in Florida on federal sex trafficking charges.
A federal judge has dismissed a woman’s lawsuit against brothers Alon, Oren, and Tal Alexander, all of whom are facing multiple allegations of sexual assault.
According to The New York Times, U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan found that the plaintiff Angelica Parker could not litigate her claim because the applicable statute of limitations had expired.
Parker, who was previously known as “Angelica Cecora,” claimed that she was sexually assaulted by Tal and Alon Alexander in a Manhattan apartment sometime in the autumn of 2012. In her lawsuit, she said that Oren Alexander was also present; although he did not participate in the alleged assault, she says that he watched the attack unfold without interfering.
The New York Times notes that, in New York, the statute of limitations on sexual assault claims is typically seven years—meaning that Parker would have had to file her claim by 2019 to avoid running out the statute of limitations.
In recent years, New York has approved multiple extensions to this statute of limitations, giving victims an opportunity to file civil claims related to acts of sexual violence that occurred in the distant past. Parker filed her lawsuit under a window created by New York City, but Kaplan found that a state extension superseded it.
Since the state’s extension should have taken priority, Parker would have had to file her lawsuit in 2023. An attorney for Parker has since expressed disappointment with the verdict, but says that her client will continue to press on.
Oren and Tal Alexander, adds the New York Times, were once two of the country’s most prominent real estate agents; their brother, Alon Alexander, was not a real estate agent but was regularly seen accompanying his siblings in Miami and New York City.
In June, a real estate publication reported that several women had filed sexual assault-related claims against the brothers. More accusations followed, and, in December, all three of the Alexander brothers were arrested in Florida on federal sex trafficking charges.
Attorneys for the Alexander brothers say that Parker, who lost a similar lawsuit against former professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya in 2012, is a “professional plaintiff” who fabricated her claim for self-gain.
Deanna Paul, a lawyer for Tal Alexander, further characterized Parker’s claim as opportunistic.
“There’s been a domino effect of so-called accusers who, after reading about a flurry of lawsuits seeking sums of money, have emerged with never-before-heard claims,” Paul told the New York Times in an email statement. “This frivolous lawsuit highlights the opportunism we’ve seen at play and puts an end to it.”
Michael Willemin, a lawyer for Parker, said that his firm plans to appeal Kaplan’s decision.
“We expect that it will ultimately be reversed,” he said. “The only reason the case isn’t moving forward is the erroneous determination that she brought the claims too late.”
“Thankfully, the prosecutors won’t have that problem and we look forward to seeing the brothers held accountable,” Willemin said.
Willemin emphasized that the dismissal of Parker’s civil claim will not affect ongoing criminal proceedings against the Alexander brothers.
“This dismissal isn’t going to be the death knell of either the civil cases or the criminal cases,” he said.
Sources
Federal judge tosses lawsuit filed in New York accusing Alexander brothers of rape
Federal judge tosses lawsuit filed in New York accusing Alexander brothers of rape
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