The judicial authorities of Romania formally charged influencer Andrew Tate on Friday with several serious offenses, including human trafficking, money laundering, sexual relations with a minor, and witness tampering. His brother, Tristan Tate, was charged as an accomplice in the investigated crimes. The indictment represents a new development in a case that Romanian authorities began investigating several years ago.
The Tate brothers, former kickboxers with U.S. and British citizenship, are currently detained in Miami after being arrested at the end of July at the request of the United Kingdom. British authorities are seeking their extradition to face rape charges. Both have primarily resided in Romania since 2017 and are under criminal investigation in that country since December 2022 for allegations related to human trafficking.
According to the Romanian anti-organized crime unit DIICOT, the brothers recruited their victims using a seduction-based method. Prosecutors claim that Andrew Tate convinced some women that he was in a romantic relationship with them or that he intended to marry them. Subsequently, the victims were allegedly forced to produce pornographic content for a webcam business and social media platforms.
The brothers have denied all allegations. Their lawyer in Romania, Eugen Vidineac, stated that the legal team will thoroughly analyze each element of the accusation and challenge any potential deficiencies related to evidence, procedures, or legislation. The lawyer reiterated that his clients reject the accusations made against them.
One of the main elements of the accusation involves a victim who, according to DIICOT, was 15 years old when Andrew Tate allegedly seduced her in the UK in 2012. Prosecutors claim that he later transported her to Bucharest, where he allegedly used physical violence and psychological intimidation to exploit her sexually and force her to produce pornographic content.
The prosecution also charged Tristan Tate with acting as an accomplice, using physical aggression to help exert coercion over the minor. According to investigators, the brothers allegedly obtained approximately $1.25 million from the income generated by the videos and kept around 80 percent of the victim's earnings.
