BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Influencer siblings Andrew and Tristan Tate were traveling from the U.S. to Romania on Friday to face charges related to human trafficking and involvement in a criminal organization for the sexual exploitation of women. The Tates, who hold dual U.S. and British citizenship, were taken into custody in Romania in late 2022 and formally charged last year for their alleged roles in a criminal network that enticed women to Romania, where they were said to have been sexually exploited. Andrew Tate also faces a rape charge. Both brothers deny all accusations.
In a social media post on Friday, Andrew Tate mentioned spending $185,000 on a private jet to fly to Romania and clear his name in court, emphasizing that innocent men do not flee. After a travel ban prohibiting their return was lifted, the brothers flew on a private jet to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, before heading back to Romania. They are currently under judicial supervision, which requires them to appear before Romanian authorities when summoned. Their lawyer in Romania, Eugen Vidineac, confirmed that the Tates are expected to report to a monitoring officer on Monday.
The Tate brothers are planning to make official statements outside their residence near Bucharest around 1 a.m. local time, as shared by their spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu. Following their arrival in the U.S., Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier initiated a criminal investigation into Andrew and Tristan Tate on March 4, in collaboration with law enforcement. Andrew Tate maintained his innocence in response to the investigation, stating that he is being targeted without cause.
The lifting of the travel ban after a court ruling in December highlighted various legal and procedural issues with the prosecution’s case against the Tates, leading to the case not proceeding to trial. However, the legal battle continues with a new case opened by Romania’s anti-organized crime agency DIICOT in August, investigating additional charges including human trafficking, exploitation of minors, sexual offenses, influencing testimonies, and money laundering. The brothers have vehemently denied these allegations.
Andrew Tate, 38, a former professional kickboxer and known for his controversial views, has consistently maintained that the accusations against him lack evidence and are part of a political agenda to silence him. Apart from their legal troubles in Romania, the Tate brothers are facing lawsuits in the U.K. from four British women accusing Andrew Tate of sexual assault and abuse. The U.K. Crown Prosecution Service chose not to prosecute him, prompting the civil claims. In a separate case, the U.K. has requested their extradition over past allegations, pending the conclusion of legal proceedings in Romania.
