Ruling and Appeal
A court in Bucharest, Romania, has given the green light for a trial to proceed in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who faces charges of human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to exploit women sexually. The Bucharest Tribunal determined that the prosecutors’ case file against Tate met the necessary legal criteria. However, no specific trial date has been set yet. Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, confirmed that an appeal has been filed challenging the ruling.
Legal Battle
Andrew Tate, 37, was taken into custody in December 2022 near Bucharest along with his brother, Tristan Tate, and two Romanian women. All four individuals were formally indicted by Romanian prosecutors in June the following year. Despite the serious allegations, Tate and his brother have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
“The ruling issued by the preliminary chamber judge lacks legal basis and reasoning,” stated Eugen Vidineac, one of the brothers’ legal representatives, expressing their strong disagreement with the court’s decision.
Challenges and Allegations
Andrew Tate, a controversial figure with a substantial following on social media, has vocally proclaimed his innocence, asserting that the accusations against him are baseless and part of a larger political scheme to suppress him. Tate has faced previous bans from major social media platforms due to his controversial statements and content.
Both Tate brothers hold dual British-U.S. citizenship. The court in Bucharest recently imposed travel restrictions on Andrew Tate, preventing him from leaving the country. Despite his request to be permitted to travel within the European Union with judicial approval, the court upheld the restrictions.
Extradition and Future Legal Proceedings
Following their initial arrest, the Tate brothers were initially held in police custody for three months before being placed under house arrest. Subsequently, they were confined to Bucharest Municipality and nearby Ilfov County, with limited freedom of movement. However, they are now allowed to travel throughout Romania.
In a separate legal development, the Tate brothers faced proceedings at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in response to arrest warrants issued by British authorities concerning allegations of sexual misconduct dating back to 2012-2015. The appeals court agreed to extradite the Tates to the U.K., pending the conclusion of legal proceedings in Romania.