Andrew Tate, an influencer known for his misogynistic views, and his brother have been accused of serious crimes in Romania, including human trafficking, rape, and involvement in a criminal organization dedicated to exploiting women sexually.
The allegations state that the pair, along with two Romanian women, deceived and manipulated seven victims by falsely professing love, subsequently coercing them into participating in pornography. The victims were allegedly subjected to control through intimidation, constant surveillance, and false claims of indebtedness.
According to Romanian law, a judge has a maximum of 60 days to review the case files before deciding whether to proceed to trial.
Mateea Petrescu, a spokesperson for the brothers, stated that they are ready to present evidence of their innocence and defend their reputation during the upcoming hearing in Bucharest.
Petrescu emphasized that Tate’s legal team is fully willing to cooperate with the relevant authorities and expose any misinterpretations or false accusations. As part of the ongoing legal process, the prosecutors have ordered the seizure of the Tate brothers’ assets, including luxury cars, high-end watches, and approximately $3 million in cryptocurrency.
Tristan Tate, Andrew’s brother, has also been charged, along with two other individuals. Since December, both brothers, aged 36 and 34 respectively, have been under house arrest in Bucharest.
They were initially arrested alongside the two Romanian women and remained in custody until March 31. On Tuesday, the prosecutors decided to proceed with a trial for all four suspects. The allegations assert that the defendants formed a criminal group in 2021, engaging in human trafficking across Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States. However, all four individuals have denied the charges.
According to a translated statement from Romania’s directorate for investigating organized crime and terrorism (Diicot), the Tate brothers are accused of enticing the women to Romania and subjecting them to physical violence and mental coercion.
The victims were subsequently taken to buildings in Ilfov county, where they endured intimidation, constant surveillance, and forced indebtedness. The defendants allegedly compelled the women to produce pornographic content, which was then shared on social media.
Throughout this ordeal, the Tate brothers have consistently claimed on social media that the accusations against them are part of a conspiracy intended to silence them. In a recent interview with the BBC, Andrew Tate vehemently denied the allegations made against him, rejecting the notion that his views on women were harmful.
He argued that portraying him as a negative influence on young people was entirely disingenuous and expressed his belief that he was following God’s instructions to make a positive impact on the world.
