One of the earliest women to accuse luxury real estate executives Oren and Alon Alexander of sexual assault has been found dead in Australia, authorities have confirmed, in a development that has cast renewed attention on a federal sex trafficking case scheduled to go to trial in New York later this month.
Oren and Alon Alexander pictured during a prior court hearing in New York. (Source: nyt)
Kate Whiteman, 45, was found deceased near Sydney late last year. A spokesperson for the New South Wales Coroner’s Court confirmed that her death is under investigation and that no official cause of death has been determined. The spokesperson said coronial inquiries are typically opened when there are questions about whether a death resulted from natural causes. Australian authorities have declined to comment further while the investigation remains ongoing.
There is currently no indication from officials that Whiteman’s death is connected to the criminal proceedings in the United States.
Early and Influential Accuser
Whiteman was among the first women to publicly pursue legal action against Oren and Alon Alexander, prominent figures in luxury real estate and nightlife circles. Her civil lawsuit, filed in New York, alleged that the brothers sexually assaulted her during a private gathering in the Hamptons in 2012.
The lawsuit was brought under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, a law that temporarily allowed survivors of sexual assault to file civil claims regardless of when the alleged abuse occurred. The law’s one-year lookback window ran from November 23, 2022, to November 23, 2023. Court records show that Whiteman filed her complaint just one day before the window closed.
Her case preceded a surge of additional allegations against the Alexander brothers and helped bring public scrutiny to conduct that federal prosecutors later described as part of a long-running pattern.
Allegations Detailed in Court Filings
According to Whiteman’s civil complaint, she met Oren and Alon Alexander through New York’s social scene and encountered them again at various events over several years. She alleged that in 2012, after leaving a social venue, she was taken to a private residence in Water Mill, Long Island, known as Sir Ivan’s Castle.
The property is owned by music producer and performer Ivan Wilzig, who was named as a defendant in the lawsuit but was not accused of sexual assault. Wilzig has not been charged with any criminal offence.
Whiteman alleged that once at the property, she was prevented from leaving and sexually assaulted by the Alexander brothers. The brothers have denied the allegations in their entirety.
Court records also show that Whiteman filed a legal summons against the same defendants in 2022, though that earlier action did not progress to a full lawsuit.
Federal Charges and Broader Investigation
Whiteman’s civil case was among several early complaints that eventually led to a wide-ranging federal investigation. In December 2024, Oren and Alon Alexander, along with their older brother Tal Alexander, were arrested and charged with multiple federal offences, including conspiracy and sex trafficking.
US prosecutors allege that between 2009 and 2021, the brothers conspired to lure women using promises of luxury travel, high-end accommodation, and access to exclusive social events. According to the indictment, some women were transported across state and international lines before being sexually assaulted.
Timeline of alleged sexual assault and trafficking incidents linked to the Alexander brothers, according to federal prosecutors.
Federal authorities have said that more than 60 women were interviewed during the investigation, many of whom described similar experiences. The brothers have pleaded not guilty to all charges and have remained in custody since their arrest.
Jury selection in the federal trial is scheduled to begin in Manhattan later this month.
Defence Challenges and Civil Litigation
In parallel civil proceedings, lawyers for the Alexander brothers have aggressively contested the credibility of several accusers, including Whiteman. In court filings last year, defence attorneys cited messages, photographs, and post-incident interactions to argue that her conduct was inconsistent with her allegations.
Whiteman’s lawyer rejected those claims, telling the court that the defence had selectively presented material in an effort to undermine her credibility while ignoring the broader pattern described by dozens of other women.
Federal prosecutors have similarly pointed to the volume and consistency of the allegations as central to their case.
Whiteman was not expected to testify in the upcoming federal trial, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Death Revealed Ahead of Trial
News of Whiteman’s death became public only days before the start of jury selection. A spokesperson for the Alexander brothers said they were unaware of her death until learning of it through media reports.
The timing of the disclosure has drawn attention, though authorities have stressed that the Australian investigation is separate from the US criminal case and that no conclusions should be drawn.
Whiteman’s lawyer declined to comment on her death.
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Case Continues Despite Development
Legal experts note that Whiteman’s passing does not affect the substance of the federal prosecution, which relies on testimony from numerous other accusers and extensive documentary evidence gathered over several years.
The Alexander brothers also face multiple civil lawsuits from women making similar claims. If convicted on the federal charges, they could face lengthy prison sentences.
As the investigation into Whiteman’s death continues in Australia, the federal case in New York is moving forward, underscoring the scale and complexity of allegations that have reshaped the public image of once-prominent figures in the luxury real estate world.
