Prominent social media influencer and former kickboxer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate have been indicted by Romanian prosecutors and charged with human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal organization for the sexual exploitation of women.
Two Romanian women have also been charged in the case. All four accused individuals are currently under house arrest during an investigation concerning seven women who, prosecutors claim, were deceived with false promises of relationships. Following a period of detention from December 29 to March 31, a Bucharest court placed the accused under house arrest, a measure prosecutors are attempting to extend.
The Tate brothers have denied all allegations. Both individuals have a considerable profile in Romania, making this one of the most high-profile human trafficking trials in the country. Andrew Tate, known for his “ultra-masculine” lifestyle, opulent displays, and mysoginistic views on women, has amassed a vast following primarily among young men.
Andrew Tate faces charges of raping one of the victims, while Tristan is accused of inciting others to violence. The trial, however, will not commence immediately because according to Romanian law, the case will first be reviewed by the Bucharest court’s preliminary chamber, where a judge will have two months to go over the case to ensure its legality. If found guilty, trafficking of adults and rape both carry up to a 10-year prison sentence in Romania.
Prosecutors seek to confiscate property, luxury watches, cash, and cryptocurrency seized during the investigation. Andrew Tate responded on Twitter, sarcastically suggesting the case was a ruse to plunder his wealth.
Romanian prosecutors contend that the Tate brothers recruited victims by falsely expressing interest in relationships or marriage. The victims were allegedly transported to properties outside Bucharest and coerced, through physical violence and psychological pressure, into creating pornographic content for social media platforms. This operation reportedly generated substantial profits.
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