Romanian prosecutors have brought further charges against former kickboxer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, accusing them of trafficking and sex crimes. The dual US-British citizens have been under criminal investigation in Romania since December 2022 and have been primarily based there since 2017.
New allegations focus on a woman investigators claim Tristan Tate recruited when she was 15. According to DIICOT investigators, she was allegedly housed in a building in Luton, England, for sexual exploitation by Andrew Tate. Prosecutors allege Andrew Tate controlled the woman through surveillance and physical aggression, coercing her into performing sex acts via video chats for financial gain. He is also accused of moving her to Romania to continue exploiting her in two of his homes. Andrew Tate faces a separate charge of having sex with a minor who was 15 years old in Romania.
Investigators are also seeking the confiscation of four of the brothers' luxury cars, valued at approximately £710,000, believing the funds used to purchase them may have been laundered.
The Tate brothers have denied all allegations, asserting that their online personas do not reflect their true personalities. Their lawyer, Eugen Constantin Vidineac, stated that the new indictment represents the prosecution's attempt to bring the case before a court after a previous indictment failed to proceed to trial due to identified irregularities. He added that they will examine the new indictment thoroughly and challenge any deficiencies through the judicial process, emphasizing their clients' right to the presumption of innocence.
It remains unclear whether Romanian authorities will seek the brothers' extradition from the United States. The indictment must first be reviewed by a judge before any trial can commence. Andrew and Tristan Tate are currently detained in a Miami jail, where they are contesting extradition to the UK for separate charges.