Controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate has been placed under house arrest by a Romanian judge amid new and serious allegations, including sexual misconduct with a minor and trafficking underage individuals.
He and his brother Tristan appeared in court on Thursday afternoon, where Tristan was subjected to special judicial control.
The prosecutors requested that the court detain the Tate brothers for 30 days to further investigate new allegations involving 35 alleged victims, one of whom was 15 years old at the time.
Romania’s organized crime agency, DIICOT, reported that a total of six individuals, including Romanians and foreigners, have been detained.
Outside the courtroom, Andrew Tate vehemently criticized the accusations, labeling them a “stitch-up” filled with falsehoods.
He asserted, “This is a set-up. It is absolutely disgusting. Thirty of those girls say we have done nothing wrong. Two are the mothers of our children, and two have never even been to Romania.”
Previously, the Tate brothers were charged with human trafficking, and Andrew Tate was additionally charged with rape. They are awaiting trial on these charges after being released from house arrest a year ago with instructions not to leave Romania.
They have consistently denied all allegations against them. These are new and separate charges.
According to the anti-organized crime agency, the accused were involved in grooming “vulnerable” individuals who were then placed in various locations to create pornographic content for online distribution.
One foreign individual is accused of coercing a 17-year-old to engage in sexual acts for video content production, retaining all the $1.5 million in profits. His identity has not been disclosed.
This individual is also accused of multiple sexual encounters with a girl who was 15 at their first meeting.
After being interrogated at DIICOT for several hours, Andrew Tate dismissed the latest allegations as “pathetic” on Wednesday night, accusing the prosecutors of desperation and fabrication.
He also mentioned being accused of “lover-boying” the mother of his children, a manipulation tactic used to exploit victims’ vulnerabilities.
Known for his misogynistic views and massive online following, Andrew Tate has referred to the legal actions against him on Twitter/X as part of a mainstream “conspiracy” to silence him.
In their latest statement, prosecutors allege the brothers purchased four luxury cars and registered them under other people’s names to conceal what they describe as proceeds from criminal activities.
It is alleged that the accused have garnered approximately $2.8 million through sexual exploitation.
The detained are also accused of attempting to intimidate both victims and witnesses.
Investigators conducted a 10-hour search of four properties on Wednesday, seizing items such as cash, luxury watches, laptops, hard drives, and documents, and impounding 16 luxury cars.
The Tate brothers were detained late Wednesday night after their questioning, along with four Romanian citizens, and were brought before a judge in court a few hours later.
