By Rob Harris
London: Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, have been charged in Britain with multiple sex offences, including rape and human trafficking, following an investigation by UK police.
Andrew, 38, faces 10 charges related to alleged offences against three women. These include rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain. Tristan, 36, has been charged with 11 offences, including rape, human trafficking and actual bodily harm, relating to one alleged victim.
Andrew Tate arrives at a police station in a Lada vehicle in Voluntari, Romania, on Wednesday.Credit: AP
A European arrest warrant was issued in the United Kingdom last year. Romanian courts subsequently approved the extradition of the Tate brothers to face trial in Britain once criminal proceedings in Romania are concluded.
Both men are currently under investigation in Romania, where they have lived since 2017, for separate allegations involving rape, human trafficking and membership of an organised criminal group. They have denied all allegations in both jurisdictions.
A spokesperson for the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed the charges in a statement: “We can confirm that we have authorised charges against Andrew and Tristan Tate for offences including rape, human trafficking, controlling prostitution and actual bodily harm against three women. These charging decisions followed receipt of a file of evidence from Bedfordshire Police.”
The CPS emphasised that criminal proceedings were active and warned against commentary or speculation that could prejudice the legal process.
“It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings,” the spokesperson added.
After their release from house arrest, the Tate brothers left Romania for the United States in February. During their visit, they appeared on several popular podcasts and were seen associating with prominent internet personalities in Los Angeles. They have since returned to Bucharest.
The current UK charges follow a separate civil case involving four women, who are suing Andrew Tate after the CPS declined to prosecute him in 2019.
The women originally filed complaints as early as 2014. The allegations from Bedfordshire, a county north of London where the brothers grew up, date back to between 2012 to 2015.
Tristan Tate speaks outside a police station as his brother Andrew watches.Credit: AP
Their lawyer, Matt Jury, welcomed the recent developments but urged further action: “We welcome the clarity from the Crown Prosecution Service that our authorities are working to ensure the Tates face justice here in the UK – they cannot be allowed to escape extradition.”
He added: “At the same time, we ask once more that CPS admit its mistake in failing to prosecute Tate when he lived in the UK and finally charge him for the [alleged] rape and assault of the other three women, our clients, who originally filed criminal complaints … they deserve justice, too.”
Lawyers for the Tates on Thursday said the pair would return to Britain to defend themselves against the charges and claimed the brothers may have information that could undermine the allegations but police and prosecutors would not speak with them.
“These are historic allegations and our clients are not even being told who the supposed victims are,” the Holborn Adams law firm said in a statement. “This ... demonstrates a different approach on the basis of the profile of our clients.”
Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer, first rose to public attention in 2016 during a brief appearance on the British reality television show Big Brother, from which he was removed due to the emergence of a video showing him hitting a woman with a belt.
He later relocated to Romania and established a webcam business.
Tate’s notoriety increased in 2022 after building a large following on TikTok and other platforms, where he became known for promoting misogynistic views and offering advice to men on wealth and dominance. His online content has drawn widespread criticism, and academics have raised concerns about its influence on young boys.
The brothers also face allegations of tax evasion in the UK. In December, a British court authorised the seizure of more than £2 million ($4.19 million) from them, citing unpaid taxes on approximately £21 million in revenue generated from their online ventures.
With AP
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