In a significant development within the high-profile Alexander brothers case, Kate Whiteman, the first woman to publicly accuse real estate moguls Oren and Alon Alexander of sexual assault, was found deceased in Australia late last year. The New South Wales coroner’s office has concluded its investigation, determining her death as non-suspicious.
Whiteman, 45, had filed a lawsuit in March 2024 alleging the brothers sexually assaulted her in New York in 2012. Her case triggered a cascade of allegations that ultimately led to the arrest of Oren, Alon, and their older brother Tal on sex trafficking charges months later.
The Alexander brothers, who maintain their innocence and have pleaded not guilty, are scheduled to face trial at the end of January. Their PR representative stated they were unaware of Whiteman’s death and suggested the timing of this revelation “invites obvious questions” ahead of trial.
The case has expanded significantly since Whiteman’s initial allegations. The day after her lawsuit, Rebecca Mandel filed similar claims against Oren and Alon, alleging she was drugged and assaulted at a 2010 party. By February 2025, at least 17 women had filed civil lawsuits with accusations spanning Miami, Manhattan, and Moscow.
In December 2024, the FBI arrested all three brothers, who now face more than 10 sex trafficking offenses. Prosecutors allege the brothers “worked together and with others to engage in sex trafficking” since at least 2010, claiming they have interviewed over 60 women who report being raped by at least one of the brothers.
Defense attorneys have characterized the charges as government “overreach” and maintain the evidence will prove the allegations false. The brothers have been held without bail at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center for the past 13 months as they await trial.