Indian celebrity fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander been charged with sexual assault and rape involving two women and a 15-year-old girl, authorities said here on Tuesday.

Jon, 33, was charged with six felonies for the series of sexual assaults between October 2004 and March 5, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.

The California-based designer, who goes by the name Anand Jon, was arrested at his Beverly Hills apartment on March 6 after a woman alleged that he raped her.

“Subsequently, additional evidence led us to other victims,” said Mitch McCann, a spokesman for the Beverly Hills Police Department, which is investigating the case. The charges include rape and lewd acts on a child, among other counts.

Prosecutors have also charged a special circumstance allegation of multiple victims. If convicted, he faces a maximum of life in prison.

Jon’s defence attorney denied the allegations. “He absolutely contends he didn’t break any laws with respect to the contact he had with these women,” attorney Ronald Richards said.

Jon was being held in lieu of $1.3 million (Rs 5.8 crore) bail pending a March 19 hearing, Richards said. Richards said his client met one of his accusers online after she expressed interest in working with him.

“When you have people desperate to be in fashion, they get upset when you don’t place them where they want to be,” Richards said, adding that his client was involved with many different women.

“When you deal with a large number of women, you’re going to have potential false allegations made against you,” Richards said.

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