BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate checked in at a police station near Romania’s capital on Monday, complying with judicial control requirements in the case in which they are charged with human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
Outside the police station in Voluntari, self-described misogynist Andrew Tate told reporters, “I’m a free person who has not been convicted of anything,” adding that he would “comply with all judicial authorities everywhere around the world because I’m completely innocent.” The Tates, who hold dual U.S. and British citizenship, were arrested in Romania in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges that they participated in a criminal ring that allegedly lured women to Romania for sexual exploitation. Andrew Tate has also been charged with rape, yet they both deny all allegations against them.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re accused of, it matters what you are proven guilty to have done in a fair court of law,” Andrew Tate maintained on Monday. “Accusations mean nothing. It doesn’t matter how many times you repeat an accusation on the news. That is garbage.”
Early on Saturday, March 22, 2025, the Tate brothers returned to Romania on a private flight after spending weeks in the U.S. The brothers had traveled to Florida after a lifting of a two-year travel ban imposed on them, which ended last month following a Bucharest court ruling stating that a prior case against them could not go to trial due to multiple legal irregulations by the prosecutors. This ruling served as a significant victory for the Tates and a notable setback for Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT.
However, the case against the Tates does remain open. Last August, meaning in August 2024, DIICOT launched a second probe into allegations of human trafficking, trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering against the brothers. Both Andrew and Tristan have vigorously denied these charges.
Andrew Tate, now 38 and a former professional kickboxer with over 10 million followers on social media platform X, has claimed repeatedly that Romanian prosecutors possess no concrete evidence against him and suggests that a political conspiracy is in place to silence him.
The brothers' troubles extend beyond Romania. Four British women have accused Andrew Tate of sexual violence and physical abuse and are suing him in the U.K. after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to pursue charges following an investigation.
Reflecting on his experiences, Andrew Tate remarked, “The media jumped on him and he didn’t realize I was an American citizen,” indicating that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been misled about their legal status. “Now he understands he made a mistake ... there've been some conversations and everything has been settled,” he added.
The Tates' complex legal saga includes judicial systems in both Romania and the U.K. In March last year, the brothers appeared at the Bucharest Court of Appeal for extradition requests issued by U.K. authorities concerning sexual aggression allegations dating back between 2012 and 2015. Although the U.K. court successfully requested their extradition, this will only proceed once all legal proceedings in Romania are concluded.
As the Tate brothers continue to navigate their legal challenges, their defiant public stance showcases their ongoing insistence on innocence amidst serious allegations that have drawn international attention. With new investigations into their activities and various cases pending in multiple jurisdictions, the legal battles of Andrew and Tristan Tate are poised to remain in the spotlight for the foreseeable future.
