Anand Jon

Anand Jon
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Anand Jon Alexander (born 1973 in India) is a former fashion designer turned convicted rapist who had previously appeared on America's Next Top Model and rose to fame in the fashion industry prior to being convicted of several counts of sexual abuse.

US career
Jon was born in South India, and came to the US to study at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and later at Parsons. He sold collections at stores including Bergdorf Goodman in New York City, Wilkes Bashford in San Francisco, and Luisa Via Roma in Florence, Italy. [1]. His clothes had been modeled by and designed for celebrities such as Paris Hilton,[2], Rosario Dawson [3], Lawrence Fishburn, Gina Torres [4], Oprah Winfrey [5], and Janet Jackson [6]. His style was primarily known for its specific detail and Indian influence.[7].

Arrest & conviction
Jon was arrested in March 2007 in Beverly Hills on rape and related charges based on the allegations of numerous aspiring models, including committing a lewd act on a child.[1] Later the prosecutor added 15 additional felony counts as the investigation expanded. He was required to turn his passport over, and not allowed to leave the country. [2] He plead not guilty to all charges.

On November 13, 2008 Jon was convicted of 16 out of 23 counts of sexual abuse, including the forcible rape of 7 women and girls aged 14 to 21. Jon is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2009. Because the case involves special circumstances against multiple victims, the penalty is a mandatory life sentence, therefore Jon will only be eligible for parole in 67 years.[3][4]

Jon still faces charges in New York and is also under investigation for similar charges in Texas and Massachusetts. [5]

References