Federal judge denies Alexander brother bail on sex charges, saying real estate star is a flight risk

MIAMI (AP) — A federal judge ordered that a prominent real estate broker be held without bond Friday on sexual assault and trafficking charges, saying he is a flight risk as she rejected his family's pledge of $115 million in real estate holdings to secure his release.

Magistrate Judge Lisette Reid's ruling likely means that Tal Alexander's brothers, twins Oren and Alon Alexander, will also be denied bail when they appear in Miami's federal court next week as the proposed security package would have covered all three.

Earlier Friday, a Florida judge had granted Oren a $3 million bond and his twin $2 million on state charges stemming from the same investigation but they were ordered held pending their own federal hearing.

Reid agreed with the prosecution's argument that Tal Alexander, because of the family's wealth, would be a flight risk if released even if he was placed under house arrest and wore a GPS monitor, saying those provisions have “proven not to be foolproof” in other cases.

Federal prosecutor Lauren Astigarraga had argued that if Alexander, who is Jewish, fled to his parents' homeland of Israel on a private jet, it would prove difficult to impossible to extradite him back to the United States. The 38-year-old is facing a likely life sentence if convicted on all counts.

Astigarraga also argued that the seriousness of the charges against Alexander shows that he is a danger to the community and that he could try to intimidate the victims who might testify against him at his trial. She compared his allegations to those against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is being held without bail on sex trafficking charges.

The Alexander brothers gained national attention after the accusations against them were made public months ago. Oren and Tal Alexander had risen to become stars in luxury real estate after co-founding their real estate firm, Official, which specialized in high-end properties in Miami, New York and Los Angeles.

FBI Special Agent Justine Atwood testified Friday that approximately 40 women who mostly don't know each other have made similar allegations of being lured by the brothers to luxurious vacation spots and homes in Florida and New York, being drugged and then raped. She said there are graphic videos and photos and text messages exchanged between the brothers that substantiate the allegations.

Alexander's attorney, Milton Williams Jr., argued that while the allegations are serious, the evidence is thin. In arguing for his proposed nine-figure bail package, Williams said the family would lose all of their wealth if any of the brothers fled. He said Tal Alexander is married and has a 2-week-old baby, making it unlikely that he would flee.

After losing his argument for bail, Alexander agreed to be transported to a federal jail in New York, where the federal charges were filed on Wednesday.

Earlier Friday in state court, Circuit Judge Lody Jean had granted the bail requests of his twin brothers, their he bond secured by their father's home in Bal Harbour, Florida.

“I am satisfied that these are reasonable conditions that you all have fashioned,” Jean told the attorneys.

But because of the federal charges, the brothers still couldn't be released.

Authorities arrested the brothers Wednesday on charges related to sex crime allegations in Miami and a federal sex trafficking case in New York City. A federal indictment accuses the brothers of using their wealth to lure, drug and sexually assault and rape multiple women over more than a decade.

The Alexander twins are also charged by the state of Florida for three separate instances of alleged sexual battery. Oren Alexander is facing three separate charges, while Alon Alexander is facing only one charge.

Judge Lody Jean speaks during a bond hearing for two Miami Beach, Fla., twin brothers Oren and Alon Alexander, 37, who are charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Judge Lody Jean speaks during a bond hearing for two Miami Beach, Fla., twin brothers Oren and Alon Alexander, 37, who are charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Oren Alexander, 37, center, and his twin brother, Alon, center-right, speak to their attorney Joel Denaro during their bond hearing after being charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Oren Alexander, 37, right, talks to his attorneys Joel Denaro and Michelle Roth after bond hearing after he and his twin brother Alon Alexander, were charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Alon Alexander, 37, top, and his twin brother, Oren, bottom, prepare to be escorted out of court after being charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Oren Alexander, sits in court after his bond hearing at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami, Fla. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Alon Alexander, 37, right, and his twin brother, Oren, left, attend their bond hearing at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building after being charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

Oren Alexander, 37, attends his bond hearing after being charged with multiple state and federal crimes, including sex trafficking and rape, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Miami. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald via AP, Pool)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris “wrote off rural America" during the 2024 presidential campaign and failed to attack Donald Trump with sufficient “negative firepower," according to a long-awaited post-election autopsy released on Thursday by the Democratic National Committee.

The committee's chair, Ken Martin, shared the 192-page report only after facing intense internal pressure from frustrated Democratic operatives concerned with his leadership. Martin had originally promised to release the autopsy, only to keep it under wraps for months because he was concerned it would be a distraction ahead of the midterms as Democrats mobilize to take back control of Congress.

On Tuesday, Martin apologized for his handling of the situation and conceded that the report was withheld because it “was not ready for primetime."

Although the autopsy criticizes Democrats' focus on “identity politics,” it sidesteps some of the most controversial elements of the 2024 campaign. The report does not address former President Joe Biden’s decision to seek reelection, the rushed selection of Harris to replace him on the ticket or the party's acrimonious divide over the war in Gaza.

“I am not proud of this product; it does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards,” Martin wrote in an essay on Substack on Thursday. “I don’t endorse what’s in this report, or what’s left out of it. I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on it. But transparency is paramount.”

A spokesperson for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The initial reaction from Democratic operatives was a mix of bafflement and anger over Martin's handling of the situation.

“Why not say this in 2024, or bring in more people to finish it, instead of turning this into the dumbest media cycle for 7-8 months?” Democratic strategist Steve Schale wrote on social media.

The postelection report, which was authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for “a renewed focus on the voters of Middle America and the South, who have come to believe they are not included in the Democratic vision of a stronger and more dynamic America for everyone.”

“Millions of Americans are suffering from poor access to healthcare, manufacturing and job losses, and a failing infrastructure, yet continue to be persuaded to vote against their best interests because they do not see themselves reflected in the America of the Democratic Party,” the report says.

The autopsy points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, voter registration shifts and “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”

Thursday's release comes as Martin confronts a crisis of confidence among party officials who are increasingly concerned about the health of their political machine barely a year into his term. Some Democratic operatives have had informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even though most believe that Martin’s job wasn't in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.

The report found that Harris and her allies failed to focus enough on Trump's negatives, especially his felony convictions. This was part of a broader criticism that Democrats' messaging is too focused on reason and winning arguments, “even in cycles when the electorate is defined by rage.”

“There was a decision in the 2024 Democratic leadership not to engage in negative advertising at the scale required,” the report states. “The Trump campaign and supportive Super PACs went full throttle against Vice President Harris, but there was not sufficient or similar negative firepower directed at Trump by Democrats.”

The report continues: “It was essential to prosecute a more effective case as to why Trump should have been disqualified from ever again taking office. The grounds were there, but the messaging did not make the case.”

Trump's attack on Harris' transgender policies were cited as a key contrast.

Specifically, the report suggested the Democratic nominee was “boxed” in by the Trump campaign's “very effective” ad that highlighted Harris' previous statement of support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates.

Democratic pollsters believed that “if the Vice President would not change her position – and she did not – then there was nothing which would have worked as a response," the report said.

The report criticized Harris' outreach to key segments of America while condemning the party's focus on “identity politics.”

“Harris wrote off rural America, assuming urban/suburban margins would compensate. The math doesn’t work,” the report says. “You can’t lose rural areas by overwhelming margins and make it up elsewhere when rural voters are a significant share of the electorate. If Democrats are to reclaim leadership in the Heartland or the South, candidates must perform well in rural turf. Show up, listen, and then do it again.”

The report also references Democrats' underperformance with male voters of color.

“Male voters require direct engagement. The gender gap can be narrowed. Deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don’t assume identity politics will hold male voters of color,” it says.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event about loosening a federal refrigerant rule, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

FILE - Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at DNC headquarters, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)