Controversial influencer Andrew Tate has been indicted in Romania on charges of rape, human trafficking, and leading an organized crime group involved in the sexual exploitation of women.
His brother Tristan and two associates also face charges, and all of them have denied the allegations.
The Tate brothers were initially arrested at their residence in Bucharest in December.
In March, they were granted house arrest instead of custody following a decision by a Romanian judge.
According to the indictment presented to the Bucharest court, the four defendants allegedly formed an organized criminal group in 2021 for the purpose of engaging in human trafficking in Romania, as well as in other countries such as the US and the UK.
The indictment identifies seven purported victims who were allegedly recruited by the Tate brothers through false promises of love and marriage.
According to a statement from Romanian prosecutors, the alleged victims were later taken to buildings in Ilfov county, Romania, where they were subjected to intimidation, constant surveillance, and control. They were also forced into debt. The defendants allegedly compelled the women to participate in pornography, which was subsequently shared on social media.
Furthermore, one of the defendants is accused of raping a woman on two occasions in March 2022, as mentioned in the statement.
The trial is not expected to commence immediately and is anticipated to span several years. A Romanian judge now has a 60-day period to review the case files before it can proceed to trial.
The media team representing the Tate brothers stated, “While the news is not surprising, we see it as an opportunity to demonstrate their innocence and restore their reputation.” They added that the indictment allows them to present a comprehensive collection of diligently gathered evidence that will undoubtedly support the brothers’ claims of innocence.
Additionally, there are ongoing investigations into separate charges, such as money laundering and trafficking of minors, which could result in a separate indictment.
In 2016, Andrew Tate, a British-American former kickboxer, was expelled from the British TV show Big Brother after a video surfaced showing him allegedly assaulting a woman. He subsequently gained online notoriety, with Twitter temporarily banning him for making controversial remarks suggesting that women should take some responsibility for being sexually assaulted. However, he has since been reinstated.
Despite facing restrictions on social media platforms, he has managed to amass a following, particularly among young men, by promoting a hyper-masculine and ostentatiously luxurious lifestyle.
