Andrew Tate, a controversial influencer, has been charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking, and organizing a gang to molest women.
He is accused along with his brother Tristan and two other people. All have refuted the charges.
The Tate brothers were initially detained in December at their residence in Bucharest.
Following a Romanian judge’s decision, they were transferred from custody to house arrest in March.
According to the accusation filed with the Bucharest court, the four defendants created an organized criminal group in 2021 to engage in people trafficking not only in Romania but also in the US and the UK.
It identifies seven alleged victims who it claims were lured in by the Tate brothers through false promises of marriage and love.
According to a statement from Romanian authorities, the accused victims were later transferred to premises in the Romanian county of Ilfov where they were intimidated, subjected to continuous supervision and surveillance, and coerced into debt.
The women were reportedly made to participate in pornography by the accused, which was subsequently posted on social media.
According to the statement, one suspect is accused of raping a woman twice in March 2022.
The trial won’t begin right away and is anticipated to last several years.
Currently, a Romanian court needs 60 days to review the case files before the matter may be tried.
While this news is undoubtedly foreseeable, the Tate brothers’ publicity team said: “We embrace the chance it gives to establish their innocence and vindicate their reputation.”
The indictment, it continued, “allows us to present a comprehensive body of evidence, diligently collected and prepared over time, which will unquestionably substantiate the brothers’ claims of innocence.”
Additionally, related allegations of money laundering and trafficking in minors are currently being investigated and may result in a new indictment.
Former kickboxer and British-American Andrew Tate was fired from the British television program Big Brother in 2016 when a video surfaced that purported to show him assaulting a woman.
As a result of his comments that women should “bear some responsibility” for being sexually attacked, he later gained prominence online and was banned from Twitter. He was later given a second chance.
Despite restrictions on social media, he became well-known, especially among young males, by endorsing what he portrayed as an excessively opulent and manly lifestyle.
