A court in Romania’s capital, Bucharest, has placed controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate under house arrest for 30 days as prosecutors delve into fresh allegations of human trafficking involving minors and sexual intercourse with a minor.
The decision was made by the Bucharest Tribunal on Thursday, following a dramatic police raid that saw Tate, 37, and his brother, Tristan Tate, 36, detained alongside four others.
The Tates, both former kickboxers with dual British and U.S. citizenship, are already embroiled in a separate human trafficking case in Romania. In the latest developments, Romania’s anti-organised crime agency DIICOT is investigating the brothers and others for crimes allegedly committed between 2014 and 2024. These include human trafficking, forming an organised criminal group, money laundering, and influencing statements.
The DIICOT alleges that the defendants exploited 34 victims through the “loverboy” method, coercing them into producing pornographic content for profit. It’s claimed that more than $2.8 million (2.5 million euros) was amassed from this criminal enterprise, with the funds retained by the perpetrators. Additionally, an unnamed foreign man is accused of sexually exploiting a 17-year-old girl, generating $1.5 million (1.3 million euros) from the abuse, and also engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old.
Andrew Tate has vehemently denied the charges, asserting outside the court that many of the alleged victims have provided statements in his defence. “This is a set-up, it’s absolutely disgusting, fair play to that judge who saw through the bullshit and let us free,” he told reporters. His spokesperson attributed the house arrest decision to the brothers’ “exemplary behaviour” during previous preventative arrests.
The Tate brothers have faced significant legal challenges over the years. Their arrest in December 2022 led to three months in police detention before they were placed under house arrest. Additionally, in April, a Romanian court confirmed that a trial could proceed in the ongoing human trafficking case, although no start date has been set. The brothers have also been targeted by British authorities, who issued arrest warrants over alleged sexual offences in the UK, dating back to 2012-2015.
During the recent police raids, authorities confiscated luxury vehicles, a motorbike, laptops, cash, and other valuables from the Tate brothers’ Bucharest property. These seizures add to their mounting legal troubles as the brothers await trial in multiple cases.
Andrew Tate, who has garnered nearly 10 million followers on the social media platform X, is notorious for his misogynistic online persona and has been banned from several platforms for hate speech. Despite the severe accusations against him, Tate continues to assert that the legal actions are part of a broader political conspiracy aimed at silencing him.
Romania’s DIICOT has emphasised that the defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence throughout the legal process, ensuring their procedural rights are upheld according to the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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