Alexander N. Fanjul (Palm Beach Police Dept.)
A 38-year-old heir to one of the largest sugar-producing companies in the country was arrested this week for allegedly beating a woman in a fit of rage brought on because they had been seated next to a gay couple at a trendy steakhouse in Florida.
Alexander N. Fanjul was taken into custody on Monday and charged with a spate of crimes, including one count each of domestic battery by strangulation, robbery, and false imprisonment of an adult, court records obtained by Law&Crime show.
Fanjul’s family owns and operates subsidiary companies such as Florida Crystals, Domino Sugar, and American Sugar Refining.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Palm Beach police responded at about 11:30 p.m. on Sunday to a noise complaint at a home in the 200 block of El Dorado Lane. The caller reported hearing a woman screaming at the address.
First responders said they opened the gate to the property and “observed a male subject, later identified as Alexander N. Fanjul, standing over a female subject” who was “on the floor in a defensive ‘fetal’ position and observed to be bleeding from the facial area.”
After separating the two, the victim, who said she had been dating Fanjul for about a year and a half, told police Fanjul assaulted her and she thought she was going to die.
The attack allegedly took place after the two had gone out to dinner at the Flagler Steakhouse in Palm Beach, Florida.
“While at dinner, Fanjul initially became irate because the two were seated next to a homosexual couple at the restaurant,” the victim said, according to the affidavit. “Fanjul voiced his frustration to (the victim) at the restaurant, becoming increasingly irate. (The victim) further stated that when the two arrived at Fanjul’s residence, Fanjul became increasingly irate and continued to speak about his frustration with the restaurant.”
Fanjul’s supposed fury over being seated next to the same-sex couple allegedly culminated before the couple got home, the document said.
“As they were in the front yard to the residence, prior to entering, (the victim) stated that she told Fanjul to drop the subject and that is when Fanjul began to punch (the victim) in the face with a closed fist causing bruising, bleeding and swelling to her facial area,” police wrote. “(The victim) stated that Fanjul continually kneed her in the face causing her substantial pain and that while doing so, Fanjul forcibly removed (the victim’s) purse from her shoulder.”
When the victim took out her phone and said she was going to call the police, Fanjul allegedly grabbed her hand and smashed it and the phone onto the ground, shattering the device. The victim said she “began to scream for help,” at which point Fanjul allegedly “threw her to the ground and forcibly dragged her inside of the residence to prevent her from receiving aid or escaping.”
Once inside the home, the victim said Fanjul used both hands to strangle her around the neck. Police said they observed visible marks around the victim’s neck and a trail of blood on the floor inside where many items had been “knocked over or thrown to the floor.”
Fanjul also faces a count of criminal mischief, cocaine possession, and intimidating or threatening a witness. Fanjul was taken into custody and released after posting $180,000 bond on the condition that he have no contact with the victim. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 29
