NEW YORK (AP) — In a compelling opening statement on Tuesday, a prosecutor accused three brothers, including two real estate agents known for catering to the elite, of orchestrating a 12-year-long scheme that allegedly involved drugging and assaulting women and girls.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Smyser revealed to a New York jury that the brothers employed a variety of tactics—ranging from offering luxurious experiences and flights to using drugs, alcohol, and even physical force—to trap women in vulnerable situations for sexual assault.

Smyser described Tal, Oren, and Alon Alexander as men who “posed as party enthusiasts while in reality, they were predators,” operating from 2008 through 2021.

In defense, Oren Alexander’s attorney, Teny Geragos, implored the jury to dismiss what she termed the government’s “monstrous narrative.”

Geragos portrayed the brothers as successful and driven individuals, who, after graduating college in 2008, indulged in nightlife and online interactions, engaging in what is commonly called “hookup culture” in their quest for multiple sexual encounters.

“You may find this behavior immoral, but it is not criminal,” Geragos said. She discredited the women who will testify, saying some of them were hoping to enrich themselves with lawsuits against the brothers and spoke of themselves as victims only after feeling regret that they had done illegal drugs or had sex outside of relationships with their boyfriends.

Attorney Deanna Paul, representing Tal Alexander, warned jurors that the subject matter of the case was disturbing and will seem like an R-rated movie, especially after prosecutors portrayed the brothers as “monsters.”

“In their early 20s, Tal and his brothers were party boys. They were womanizers. They slept with many, many women,” she said.

She urged jurors to reject the criminal charges against the brothers if they conclude that the accusers’ testimony was unreliable.

The openings preceded testimony in what’s expected to be a monthlong trial.

An indictment alleges that the men conspired to entice women to join them at vacation destinations such as New York’s Hamptons by providing flights and luxury hotel rooms and inviting them to entertainment events and parties before sexually abusing them and sometimes raping them.

The brothers have pleaded not guilty, and their lawyers say prosecutors are unjustly criminalizing consensual sex.

According to the indictment, the men violently sexually assaulted and raped dozens of women after luring them to various destinations with promises of luxury experiences, travel, and accommodations.

It said that often, the brothers “drugged their victims before assaulting them, preventing them from fighting back or escaping.”

In court papers, defense lawyers have said that among witnesses they had identified, they’d been able to locate evidence “that undermines nearly every aspect of the alleged victims’ narratives.”

Oren and Tal Alexander were real estate dealers who specialized in high-end properties in Miami, New York and Los Angeles. Their brother, Alon, graduated from New York Law School before running the family’s private security firm. Tal is 39 years old while Alon and Oren, who are twins, are 38.

The brothers have been held without bail since their December 2024 arrest in Miami, where they lived.