Romanian Court to Try Andrew and Tristan Tate for Rape, Trafficking Charges

Andrew Tate (3rd R) and his brother Tristan Tate (2nd R) are brought by police officers to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, on Jan. 10, 2023. (Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo)

A Romanian court has confirmed that the trial of controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, will proceed, following their arrest in December 2022 on charges of rape, human trafficking, and involvement in a criminal organization.

The court in Bucharest has not yet set a date for the trial, and the brothers’ legal team has appealed the decision.

Mr. Andrew Tate, 37, and Mr. Tristan Tate, 35, vehemently deny the allegations against them. The duo, who hold dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom, also face accusations of sexual offenses in the UK.

Prosecutors claim that the brothers exploited women through an adult content business, which allegedly operated as a criminal enterprise. Additionally, two female Romanian associates were implicated in the indictment alongside the Tate brothers, with seven alleged victims identified, the BBC reported.

Mr. Andrew Tate, known for his self-professed misogynistic views and prior social media bans, insists that the Romanian prosecutors lack evidence and are part of a conspiracy against him. Despite his claims, the court in Bucharest ruled on Friday that the case has sufficient legal grounds to proceed. Lead counsel for the brothers, Eugen Vidineac, criticized the decision, stating that it lacks legal justification and that he has filed an appeal.

Mr. Andrew Tate is known as a podcaster, entrepreneur, and former professional kickboxer, boasting nearly 9 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), many of whom are reportedly school-aged, sparking global concerns among educators, according to NPR.

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Accused by multiple women across various countries of rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking, Mr. Tate has faced scrutiny not only in the UK and Romania but also in a separate civil case in the UK. Denying any wrongdoing, Mr. Tate contends that he is a victim of a concerted effort to suppress masculine ideals. The legal situation of his brother Tristan remains unclear.

Rise to Fame

Andrew Tate gained notoriety after his expulsion from the British version of the reality TV show Big Brother in 2016, following the emergence of a video purportedly showing him assaulting a woman, a claim he vehemently refutes as a distortion of reality.

Despite being banned from several social media platforms for content deemed derogatory towards women, Mr. Tate’s presence on the internet, including the #AndrewTate hashtag on TikTok, has garnered billions of views, albeit with a significant portion being criticisms.

In Romania, the Tate brothers were arrested in December 2022, accused of operating an adult content business that allegedly functioned as a criminal enterprise. The prosecution claims the brothers subjected recruits to physical and mental coercion, sexual exploitation, and pornography production for substantial financial gains, leading to charges of organized crime involvement, human trafficking, and rape.

Following a successful appeal challenging the seizure of assets in January, the Romanian appeals court ruled that extradition to the UK would only occur after the conclusion of legal proceedings in Romania. The duration of this process remains uncertain.

In the UK, Bedfordshire Police confirmed a European arrest warrant against the Tate brothers, linked to investigations into rape and human trafficking spanning 2012 to 2015. Additionally, alleged victims have launched a crowdfunding campaign to pursue a civil case against Tate, claiming that previous complaints to British authorities did not progress to prosecution, NPR reported.

Andrew Tate cryptically shared on X: “The Matrix is afraid, but I only fear God,” a reference he has previously used to allude to perceived conspiracies against him.

The Epoch Times contacted representatives for the Tate brothers for comment but did not receive a response by press time.