Tate brothers leave Romania facing human trafficking, rape charges

Influencer Andrew Tate said he and brother Tristan are “misunderstood” after they arrived in the US despite being due to go on trial in Romania.

Influencer Andrew Tate has said he and brother Tristan are “largely misunderstood” as the pair landed in Florida from Romania where they are facing charges of trafficking minors, rape and money laundering.

He also took a swipe at the media accusing them of “smears” and “lies” against him.

The Tates arrived in Fort Lauderdale, on Thursday, US time, on a private jet hours after the Romanian authorities allowed them to travel a head of an upcoming trial.

There have been accusations the Trump administration pressured Romania into returning the passports of the brothers, who are Trump supporters.

But in the White House, US President Donald Trump shrugged off suggestions Romania bent to his will.

“I just know nothing about it. We’ll check it out. We’ll let you know” he said.

Romanian prosecutors allege that former kickboxer Tate, 38, his brother, 36, and two women set up a criminal organisation in early 2021 in Romania and in Britain, and sexually exploited several victims. They also face separate charges in the UK of rape and human trafficking.

The brothers, who are American and British dual-citizens, say they are innocent.

They have been told by Romania they must return for the trial. However, it will be harder to ensure that occurs if the two are outside of Romania.

Andrew Tate (L) and Tristan Tate (R) arrive in the United States after a travel ban on them was lifted, at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on February 27, 2025. (Photo by Alon Skuy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

‘We’re misunderstood’

Andrew Tate talked to reporters at Fort Lauderdale’s airport.

“We live in a democratic society where it’s innocent until proven guilty, and I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood,” he said on Thursday, local time.

“There’s a lot of opinions about us that go around on the internet.

“We’ve yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever. We have no criminal record anywhere on the planet,” the Associated Press reported him as saying.

Tate added there was “no active indictment” against them which would have prevented their US return.

Tate also took umbrage at the media pack at the airport saying: “I think it’s extremely important that we stop allowing media spin, black ops (sic), smears, lies … from trying to destroy the reputations of good people who have no intention to do anything other than follow the law”.

Andrew Tate took aim at the media scrum. (Photo by Alon Skuy / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Florida: Tates ‘not welcome’

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he was not aware the pair were headed to Florida and they were “not welcome”.

“The reality is, Florida is not a place where you are welcome, with that type of conduct,” he told the BBC. “I don’t know how it came to this”.

Florida Attorney-General James Uthmeier said the state had set up a “preliminary inquiry” into the Tates.

“Florida has zero tolerance for human trafficking and violence against women,” Uthmeier wrote.

“If any of these alleged crimes trigger Florida jurisdiction, we will hold them accountable.”

The Brothers say they are innocent. (Photo by Daniel MIHAILESCU / (Photo by Daniel MIHAILESCU / AFP)

Trump adminstration

According to UK newspaper The Financial Times, US President Donald Trump’s administration brought up his case with Romanian authorities last week, calling for Bucharest to return the passports of both Tate and his brother Tristan.

Some people in Mr Trump’s inner circle are either close to or have spoken highly of Andrew Tate.

Donald Trump Jr is reportedly friends with Tate. Elon Musk has suggested he could make a good British prime minister. Paul Ingrassia, who has worked on Tate’s legal team, now works in The White House for the US Department of Justice. He has praise Andrew Tate on social m

Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday the United States had “not made any requests” over the brothers’ “legal situation”.

But foreign minister Emil Hurezeanu confirmed Mr Trump’s envoy Richard Grenell raised Tate’s case with him at the Munich Security Conference last week, Romanian media reported.

The victims’ UK lawyer, Matthew Jury, said he found “the development … equally bizarre and outrageous”.

The four women, who are bringing a civil case against Tate at the High Court in the UK accusing him of rape and coercive control between 2013 and 2016, had urged Washington not to get involved.

“We hope that the Romanian and the UK authorities will be left alone to do their jobs,” the alleged victims said in a statement, saying any relaxation of the travel restrictions would allow the brothers to flee justice.

American and British dual-citizen Tate faces several charges in Romania including trafficking of and sexual relations with minors, money laundering and organising a criminal group.

“It would be embarrassing for the UK government and a complete abdication of its responsibility to the victims if it stands by and lets this continue,” said Mr Jury, adding the women were “absolutely distraught”.

Andrew Tate moved to Romania years ago after first starting a webcam business in the UK.

He leapt to fame in 2016 when he first appeared on the UK’s Big Brother reality television show, but was removed after a video emerged showing him attacking a woman.

He then turned to social media platforms to promote his often misogynistic and divisive views on how to be successful.

A Romanian court has granted a British request to extradite the Tates, but only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded.

Robert Jenrick, the UK’s shadow foreign secretary, Tuesday said the Tate brothers “must face our justice system”.

Originally published as Tate brothers leave Romania facing human trafficking, rape charges