The wives and parents of the Alexander brothers were absent from court as the siblings faced sentencing after being convicted of sex trafficking offenses.
Niv Alexander, the brothers’ eldest sibling and the only one not accused of a crime, appeared to be the sole relative to attend Tuesday’s proceedings at Manhattan Federal Court.
Twins Oren and Alon Alexander, both 39, and their 40-year-old brother Tal were convicted in March on 10 counts stemming from a years-long conspiracy involving rape, sex trafficking, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation in Manhattan federal court.
Oren and Alon’s wives regularly attended the trial, as did the brothers’ parents, Olry and Shlomy.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Tal’s attorney, Deanna Paul, told US District Judge Valerie E. Caproni that the brothers had asked their parents to remain away from the sentencing hearing to spare them the pain of watching their sons receive lengthy prison terms.
Before sentencing, all four family members submitted character statements urging the judge to impose more lenient terms. They portrayed the brothers as devoted fathers and loving husbands.
The brothers’ parents, Orly and Shlomi, also appealed to the judge not to condemn their three sons to spend the rest of their lives in prison.
In a letter obtained by Our News Outlet, the couple asked the judge to consider the “whole lives” of their convicted sons, describing them as devoted fathers, loving husbands and charitable men who deserved the opportunity to return home and raise their children.
The Alexander brothers sat in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Tuesday as they awaited sentencing
Alon Alexander and his wife, Shani Zigron, lived an affluent lifestyle. The couple are pictured at the Plaza Hotel in February 2022
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Alon’s wife, Israeli model Shani Zigron, 30, supported the appeal in her own statement. She described her husband as a gentle and attentive father who changed diapers, made breakfast for their daughters and treated her with “care, respect and gentleness” during their marriage.
Oren’s wife, Brazilian model Kamila, said his arrest had left her “traumatized” while she was nine months pregnant. She said the incident forced her to raise their baby alone and disrupted her previously successful modeling career.
The character letters filed before Tuesday’s hearing also highlighted volunteer work the brothers performed as teenagers, including assistance for children with special needs, as their families sought reduced sentences.
Prosecutors urged the court to sentence all three men to life in prison. Federal probation officials recommended terms of 195 years for Oren and 180 years each for Alon and Tal.
Oren and Kamila Alexander are pictured in December 2023, seven months after their wedding in the Florida Keys
Tal Alexander married Arielle in October 2023. Under different circumstances, the couple might still have been enjoying the early months of their marriage. But after allegations against the brothers emerged, Arielle walked away
The brothers continue to maintain their innocence, while their defense attorneys asked the court to impose the minimum 15-year sentence on each man.
Defense lawyers said the brothers apologized to women they had insulted or offended, acknowledging conduct they described as “insensitive toward the feelings of certain women at certain times.”
This is a developing news story…
