Romanian prosecutors formally charge Andrew Tate with trafficking minors and money laundering
Romanian authorities have filed formal charges including trafficking of minors, money laundering and witness tampering against Andrew Tate; Tristan Tate faces complicity counts.
Romanian prosecutors have formally charged influencer Andrew Tate with trafficking minors, money laundering, sexual activity with a minor and witness tampering, while his brother Tristan faces charges of complicity, the authorities said after a probe that lasted several years.
The two former kickboxers, who hold dual United States and British citizenship, were arrested in Miami at the end of July after the United Kingdom requested their extradition on dozens of allegations, including rape. The brothers have lived primarily in Romania since 2017 and have been the subject of a Romanian criminal investigation since December 2022.
Allegations and possible Romanian proceedings
Prosecutors say the brothers recruited victims by seducing them and falsely claiming they wanted a relationship or marriage, then coerced them into producing pornographic webcam content for their business. One DIICOT statement notes that one alleged victim was 15 when she was seduced in the United Kingdom in 2012 and later brought to Bucharest, where she was allegedly sexually exploited through physical violence and mental intimidation; Tristan Tate is described as a collaborator in that case.
The Tate brothers have denied any criminal wrongdoing. "We will examine every aspect of the indictment and will challenge any evidential, procedural or legal shortcomings through appropriate judicial proceedings," said the brothers' Romanian lawyer, Eugen Vidineac.
Both men remain detained in the United States while the British extradition request is being decided. Romanian prosecutors said it was not immediately clear whether Romanian authorities would seek the brothers' extradition from the United States. They added the suspects could be tried in absentia in Romania, but that any trial would not begin immediately.
The charges escalate a long-running cross-border legal fight involving allegations of sexual violence, exploitation and organized criminal activity that have drawn attention across Europe and beyond.
Photo: Гети)
