A woman from the United States has filed a countersuit against social media personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate, alleging that they tried to involve her in a webcam sex trafficking operation. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in court documents, claims that the brothers defamed her after she provided testimony to Romanian authorities.
The civil complaint was submitted in a Palm Beach County, Florida circuit court. Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are facing legal challenges in Romania and the United Kingdom related to human trafficking, money laundering, and sex offenses, have denied all accusations against them.
In response to a defamation lawsuit filed against her by the Tate brothers in 2023, Jane Doe has now taken legal action against them. Her lawyer, Dani Pinter of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, stated that Jane Doe has faced harassment and threats for cooperating with Romanian authorities. Pinter described the Tate brothers’ legal actions against Jane Doe as an abuse of the legal system and an attempt to intimidate a witness.
Seeking compensation for emotional distress caused by the Tate brothers, Jane Doe’s lawsuit aims to prevent them from further contacting, harassing, or defaming her. This marks the first lawsuit brought against the Tate brothers in the United States.
Andrew Tate, known for his controversial views on women and masculinity, was put under house arrest in Romania in connection with separate allegations, including human trafficking of minors. Both Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are former kickboxers and hold dual U.S.-British citizenship, have been implicated in criminal cases in Romania and the U.K. The brothers are currently under judicial control in Romania pending extradition to the U.K.
The Tate brothers’ attorney, Joseph McBride, expressed satisfaction with the progress of their defamation lawsuit against Jane Doe. He dismissed her countersuit as an attempt to re-litigate a failed Romanian criminal case in the U.S. McBride also criticized the National Center on Sexual Exploitation for allegedly disregarding a court order regarding the Romanian indictment.
“Jane Doe was lured to Romania from Florida by Tristan Tate under false pretenses of a romantic relationship, as alleged in her lawsuit,” stated McBride. “We will promptly seek sanctions against them for their flawed legal action.”
According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe, aged 20 at the time, and Tristan Tate initially connected online in late 2021. Tate then flew Jane out to reside with him in Romania, where he reportedly imposed strict rules on her, including forbidding her from communicating with individuals he hadn’t introduced to her.
The legal document further detailed instances where Tristan Tate allegedly pressured Jane Doe to produce explicit content on the platform OnlyFans, which is known for its subscription-based exclusive material, mainly used by individuals in the adult entertainment industry. It was highlighted that Tate eventually respected Jane Doe’s decision when she expressed her unwillingness to create such content.
Living in a household with other women, all purportedly involved with either Andrew or Tristan Tate, Jane Doe observed their long hours spent on OnlyFans. Despite discussions about spending quality time together, Jane Doe realized she rarely saw Tristan Tate, leading her to question whether she had been manipulated into relocating to Romania under deceptive circumstances.
Furthermore, the lawsuit recounted a woman’s warning to Jane Doe about potential danger associated with exposing information about the Tate brothers, as well as another woman’s claim of non-payment for work completed for the Tates on TikTok. These accounts, among other unsettling details, fueled Jane Doe’s suspicion of trafficking activities taking place within the Tate brothers’ circle.
