Former kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan will be moved from jail to house arrest in Romania, where they have been detained since December 2022, as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations of organized crime, human trafficking, and rape. The move was ordered by a Romanian court on Friday, according to CNN affiliate Antena 3 and other news agencies.
The brothers, who deny the allegations, have not yet been formally charged. However, Romanian police have accused them and others of forming an organized criminal group that trafficked people from Romania to Britain and the United States, with some victims being sexually exploited and physically coerced. At least six victims were allegedly "sexually exploited by the organized criminal group," according to a statement by Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT). Authorities also allege that one of the suspects raped a victim on two separate occasions in March 2022.
Andrew Tate, who is known for his viral rants about male dominance, female submission, and wealth, openly advocates violence against women. He had been banned from every major social media platform until Elon Musk reinstated his Twitter account after taking over the company. Before its takedown, Tate's TikTok account had amassed around 11.6 billion views.
The Tate brothers have insisted on their innocence. "There's no evidence in my file because I've done nothing wrong. Everybody knows I'm innocent," Andrew Tate said in January. As he was led into DIICOT headquarters, he added: "There is no justice in Romania." Ioan Gliga, one of the brothers' lawyers, told reporters that they were "convinced that the evidence is in favor of our clients, categorically not against them."
The Romanian police have searched 12 properties as part of their investigation, and authorities have seized roughly 18 million lei ($3,942,700) worth of assets belonging to Andrew Tate, including luxury watches, motor vehicles, and sums of money in several different currencies, according to the country's Asset Recovery and Management Agency.
The case has attracted significant attention due to the controversial and inflammatory statements made by Andrew Tate on social media, as well as the serious nature of the allegations against him and his brother. The ongoing investigation will undoubtedly continue to generate interest and scrutiny, as authorities seek to determine the truth behind the allegations of human trafficking, rape, and organized crime.
