Influencer Andrew Tate detained in Romania for UK case

Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate were detained Monday evening for 24 hours on allegations of sexual aggression dating back to 2012-2015, Tate's spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said.

She said the Bucharest Court of Appeal is set to make a "pivotal decision" Tuesday on whether to execute the warrants issued by the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, in a move that could trigger an extradition process.

Four women had reported Andrew Tate to the UK authorities for alleged sexual violence and physical abuse, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute him. The alleged victims then turned to crowdfunding to cover their legal costs as they pursue a civil case against him.

"We handed over our evidence about the horrific acts of violence we endured and waited for action. But four years later we were told the UK authorities would not prosecute him," they state on their campaign page. "It's our one remaining route to hold him accountable."

McCue Jury & Partners, the legal firm representing the four British women said in a statement Tuesday they had urged British police to "immediately seek a warrant" for Tate's detention and extradition after they received information last week that he might be planning to flee Romania.

"Today's news is very welcome as it had been a significant concern to many that Tate would seek to avoid justice in Romania and abroad," said Matthew Jury, a managing partner at the law firm. "We are grateful to the British authorities for taking our concerns seriously and issuing an arrest warrant. Tate is accused of serious criminal offences against a large number of victims and he must be held accountable."

Petrescu said Tuesday that the Tate brothers, who are dual UK and US citizens, reject the charges and "express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence."

Andrew Tate is charged in a separate case in Romania with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He was arrested near Bucharest in December 2022 along with his brother and two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June and they have denied the allegations.

Tate, who has amassed 8.9 million followers on X, formerly known as Twitter, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors in Romania have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. He was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and for hate speech.

Currently, the Tates cannot leave Romania. The legal case in Romania is still being discussed in the preliminary chamber stages, a process in which the defendants can challenge prosecutors' evidence. No trial date has been set.

Australian Associated Press