Anand Jon Released on Bail

Anand Jon carefully cultivated a public reputation as a celebrity designer with women constantly draped around his arms as in this file photo.

The new charges include 11 felonies, involving rape and sodomy with threat of force, and a misdemeanor against five women between the ages of 14 to 23 between Nov 2002 and March 2007.

During an unsuccessful argument to increase bail, Deputy District Attorney Mara Mcllvain told the Beverly Hills Court at Alexander’s arraignment: “It’s violent. It’s sexual offences against younger female victims. It’s a pattern of conduct that is like a serial sex offender.”

Alexander, who is currently free on a $1.3 million bond and has been permitted to return to work, pleaded not guilty. The court however directed that a guardian — Alexander’s mother — be present whenever he associates with a woman under the age of 30. Women below 30 will be required to sign releases affirming that they were never alone with him.

California prosecutors also disclosed they are pursuing claims against Alexander involving six additional women and that investigations are also underway in New York and Texas involving other potential victims.

Two weeks earlier, Alexander, who traded his trademark designer wear for an orange jumpsuit, listened impassively in the courtroom as 13 additional charges of rape, sexual penetration by a foreign object and sexual assault were read. He was first arrested on March 6 at his Beverly Hills apartment on eight sexual assault charges, but since then 25 additional charges have been added as more women step forward. If convicted of all charges, Alexander could potentially spend the rest of his life in jail.

Before the latest charges, the 33-year-old Indian born designer was charged with 21 counts of sexual assaults on five women and two girls over a three-year period between March 2004 and March 2007. The seven victims have been identified as Autumn A, Natalie P, Jessie B, Lindsay B, Avery G, Amanda C and Ashley R.

Jane Robinson, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney, said: “He lured these girls to be models and once here sexually assaulted them. This is an ongoing investigation and we believe there may be numerous additional victims.”

Alexander, who appeared on “America’s Top Model” in 2003 and was named by Newsweek as a person to watch in 2007, has dressed such celebrities as Paris Hilton, Ivanka Trump, Bruce Springsteen and Janet Jackson. A graduate of the Parsons School of Design, he launched his own label in 1999.

According to his attorney Ronald Richards, Alexander
“vehemently” denies the charges, asserting they were fabricated by
disappointed models. “In these cases, what is going on here is these
girls fly in for model jobs after months of dialogue filled with
flirtation, they have sexual interaction and if he doesn’t put them in
the show … then some time later they claim they had unwanted sex.”

File Photo of Anand Jon with socialite Paris Hilton and his sister Sanjana Jon who has professed the innocence of her brother.

Richard said: “He’s justifiably upset; he’s never been in jail before. He’s concerned about his future and he concerned about his career.”

A press release issued on behalf of the family criticized the media for its “sensationalized” and “exaggerated” coverage of his arrest for “improper behavior.” The statement added: “This rock star celebrity fashion designer, like everyone else in the court system is innocent until proven otherwise, not the other way around.”

His sister Sanjana Jon said she “firmly believes in the innocence of my brother. I’ve worked along side him for many years and he always maintained a professional relationship with the workers, models and the volunteers.”

File photo of Anand Jon with coworkers and models.

Previous Arrest

After his recent arrest, reports surfaced that Jon had been charged with committing lewd acts on a child in 2003. He pled no contest to a misdemeanor, was required to undergo sex therapy for a year and barred from interactions with minors outside the presence of adults. He completed his probation in 2005 and the criminal record was expunged. His attorney Richards asserted that the case was overblown and was settled “for a low grade non priorable, non-registerable, non-admissible plea of no contest, that was wiped out later.”

Alexander recently boasted that he was working on a reality show around his life for VH1 with Lost co-star Michelle Rodriguez. He could scarcely have imagined the attention the show would get.