Andrew Tate, a social media influencer, and his brother Tristan will remain in police custody until February 27, following an extension of their detention by a Romanian court on Friday, January 20, as disclosed by Tate’s legal representation.
The siblings are under investigation by Romanian authorities regarding allegations of human trafficking and rape.
According to Romanian authorities, police executed search warrants at five residences and apprehended four suspects – two Britons and two Romanians – as part of the probe.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) had previously stated that the four suspects were detained for 24 hours.
The Bucharest court granted an application by DIICOT to prolong the detention of Tate and his brother Tristan for an additional 30 days, confirmed by their legal counsel Eugen Vidineac on December 30. This extension has now been further prolonged to February 27.
DIICOT alleged that the four suspects formed an organized criminal group operating between Romania, Britain, and the United States, with the intent of committing human trafficking.
Last Thursday, DIICOT announced the search of seven more properties as part of the investigation, increasing the total number of properties investigated to 12.
Romanian authorities claim that two of the suspects deceived victims by luring them into a false marriage or cohabitation arrangement, transporting them to Romania, and later subjecting them to sexual exploitation using physical violence and coercion.
Authorities also stated that one of the suspects raped a victim on two separate occasions in March 2022. The DIICOT statement mentioned that at least six victims were allegedly subjected to sexual exploitation by the organized criminal group.
Earlier this week, Romanian authorities declared the seizure of assets valued at nearly $4 million belonging to Tate. The country’s Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ANABI) reported the confiscation of 29 assets, including motor vehicles, luxury watches, and sums of money in various currencies.
Tate, a former professional kickboxer, gained prominence for his viral social media posts focusing on themes such as male dominance, female submission, and wealth, along with openly advocating violence against women.
Following his arrest, Tate was banned from all major social media platforms until Elon Musk reinstated his Twitter account after assuming control of the company.
Notably, he attracted attention during the week of his arrest for a Twitter exchange with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who urged Tate to “get a life” after he boasted about his numerous high-emission cars.
