On the case of Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer accused of human trafficking, rape and human-trafficking in Romania
The former kickboxer turned social media commentator Andrew Tate and his brother, who were also named in the investigation of allegations of organized crime, human-trafficking and rape, will be moved out of jail and placed under house arrest in Romania.
Romanian police alleged last year that the brothers and others had formed an organized criminal group that stretched from Romania to Britain and the United States for the purpose of human trafficking, Antena 3 reported at the time.
Some victims were tricked into believing that they would be entering into a marriage/codependency relationship and later sexually exploited, according to Antena 3.
The victims were sexually exploited by the organized criminal group according to the statement by the DIICOT.
“There’s no evidence in my file because I’ve done nothing wrong. Everybody knows I’m innocent, ” Andrew Tate said in January, after being taken for questioning, Antena 3 reported.
The lawyers for the Tates said at the time that the evidence was in favor of their clients.
In January, Romanian authorities descended on a compound near Bucharest linked with the Tate brothers and towed away a fleet of luxury cars that included a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari and a Porsche. They reported seizing assets worth an estimated $3.9 million.
The Tate brothers, Tristan Tate and Tim Bolla, are in custody after their arrest on charges of misogyny
Andrew Tate is known for his viral rants online about male dominance, female submission and wealth. He openly advocates violence against women, and had previously been banned from every major social media platform until Elon Musk reinstated his Twitter account after taking over the company.
Several people, including school teachers, voiced their disapproval about his misogynistic ideas taking root in the minds of many young boys. Before it was taken down, his TikTok account racked up about 11.6 billion views.
Ramona Bolla, a spokeswoman for Serbia’s anti-crime agency, DIICOT, said that the court of appeal upheld Tate’s appeal, which challenged a judge’s decision to prolong his arrest for 30 days.
All four won an appeal Friday, and will remain under house arrest until Apr. 29, Bolla said. None of the four have yet been indicted. The court made a decision regarding their immediate release. There was no chance of prosecutors challenging the decision of the appeal court.
As the brothers left the detention facility late Friday in Bucharest, Tristan Tate told a scrum of reporters that “the judges today made the right decision.”
Later, standing outside what is believed to be the Tate brothers’ home near the capital, Andrew Tate said he wanted to thank the judges “who heard us today, because they were very attentive and they listened to us, and they let us free.”
I have no resentment for the country of Romania in my heart, he said. I believe in the truth. I truly believe that justice will be served in the end. There is no chance I will be convicted for something I have not done.
DIICOT says six victims in the human trafficking case were sexually exploited by members of the alleged crime group DICOT
DIICOT said in a statement after the December arrests that it had identified six victims in the human trafficking case who were allegedly subjected to “acts of physical violence and mental coercion” and sexually exploited by members of the alleged crime group.
The agency says that victims were lured with a promise of love, and later forced to engage in sexual acts for financial gain of the crime group.
Prosecutors have said that if they can prove the cars’ owners gained money through illicit activities such as human trafficking, the assets would be used to cover the expenses of the investigation and to compensate victims. Tate unsuccessfully appealed the asset seizure.