Controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate arrived in Florida on Thursday, marking their first return to the United States since being charged with human trafficking in Romania.
The Tates arrived at Fort Lauderdale airport around noon.
The brothers, who hold dual U.S.-British citizenship, were granted permission to travel after Romanian authorities eased restrictions on their movement.
Their trip back to the United States follows a December court ruling that cited legal and procedural irregularities as preventing their case from proceeding to trial.
However, the charges against them remain active, and a separate investigation is ongoing in Romania.
Andrew Tate, 38, and his brother Tristan, 36, were formally indicted last year on charges of participating in a criminal ring that allegedly lured women to Romania for sexual exploitation. Andrew Tate faces an additional rape charge. Both brothers have consistently denied all allegations against them.
‘Zero Tolerance’
Upon their arrival in Florida, the brothers faced immediate scrutiny from state officials.Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced plans for a “preliminary inquiry” into the Tates.
“Florida has zero tolerance for human trafficking and violence against women. If any of these alleged crimes trigger Florida jurisdiction, we will hold them accountable,” Uthmeier said.
Andrew Tate, addressing reporters at the airport, maintained his innocence.
“We live in a democratic society where it’s innocent until proven guilty. And I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There’s a lot of opinions about us, things that go around about us on the internet,” he said.
On Thursday, a Romanian court ruled in favor of the brothers’ appeal to lift the seizure of several assets, including six luxury vehicles, land and properties, and company shares, according to Tate spokesperson Mateea Petrescu.
“While some assets remain under precautionary seizure, this ruling marks a significant step toward justice,” Petrescu said. She added that bank accounts previously frozen have also been unfrozen.
Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist with over 10 million followers on X, has repeatedly alleged that Romanian prosecutors lack evidence against him and alleges a political conspiracy to silence him.
The brothers’ recent departure comes shortly after Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu mentioned that a U.S. official had inquired about the brothers’ situation at the recent Munich Security Conference. Hurezeanu has said that no pressure was applied to lift the Tates’ travel restrictions.
UK Allegations
In the United Kingdom, four women are also pursuing a civil lawsuit against Andrew Tate, alleging sexual violence and physical abuse. In a joint statement Thursday, the women said that they were “in disbelief and feel re-traumatized” by the news of the lifting of the travel ban.Matthew Jury, a lawyer representing the women, called the decision to lift the travel ban “disgusting and dismaying.”
The Tates also face potential extradition to the United Kingdom following a March 2024 court appearance in Bucharest in a separate case after British authorities issued arrest warrants over allegations of sexual aggression in a case dating back from 2012 to 2015. The court granted the UK request to extradite the Tates, but only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded.
Late last year, a British court also permitted authorities to seize over 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) from the brothers to cover unpaid taxes and freeze some of their accounts.
Andrew Tate called the actions “outright theft” and “a coordinated attack on anyone who dares to challenge the system.”
