A Romanian court on Thursday placed self-professed misogynist and social media influencer Andrew Tate under house arrest amid new allegations involving human trafficking of minors and sex with children.
The decision by the Bucharest court follows the detention of six people, including the 37-year-old Tate and his 36-year-old brother Tristan, the Associated Press said.
Those detentions came on the heels of a raid in Bucharest and Ilfov county, as CrimeOnline reported. The Tate brothers and two associates are awaiting trial on charges of rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to exploit women. He has denied the charges and was released from house arrest in Bucharest a year ago, although he must have permission to leave the city.
Tate was initially arrested in 2022 and was formally indicted, along with his co-defendants, last year.
Prosecutors initially asked that the Tates be held in custody for 30 days while the investigation continues, but the court, which has been exceptionally lenient so far, denied that request. Their spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, told the the AP the court released them to house arrest because of their “exemplary behavior” during their previous arrest. Petrescu said the Tates “firmly deny all the allegations,” as they have in the past.
Romania’s anti-organized crime agency DIICOT said the new allegations date between 2014 and 2024. The agency accuses the defendants of forcing 34 vulnerable victims to produce pornographic materials, generating nearly $3 million for the defendants.
After his release to house arrest, Tate told reporters that the new charges were “a set-up” and “absolutely disgusting.”
“Fair play to the judge who saw through the b******* and let us free,” he said.
The Tates have also been charged with sexual aggression in the United Kingdom. Last month a Romanian court ruled they could be extradited to stand charges but not until the Romanian cases are complete. No court date has been set.
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[Featured image: Right, Andrew Tate/Twitter.com. Left, A Romanian officer patrols outside Tate’s “estate” on Wednesday/AP Photo/ Vadim Ghirda]
