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Social media influencer Andrew Tate has been officially charged with rape and human trafficking in Romania, according to reports.
According to the BBC, Tate — who was originally arrested by Romanian authorities in December 2022 and kept in prison until March — has also been charged with “forming organized crime group to sexually exploit women.”
In addition to Andrew, his brother Tristan Tate and two other suspects have been charged in connection to the alleged crimes. At this time, the Tate brothers are reportedly under house arrest in Bucharest, where they’ve been since March.
Now that the charges have been officially filed against the Tates — they are set to face trial for the alleged crimes, which reportedly stemmed from offenses against seven women. Both Tate brothers have denied the allegations against them.
It names seven alleged victims who it says were recruited by the Tate brothers through false promises of love and marriage. The alleged victims were later taken to buildings in Ilfov county in Romania where they were intimidated, placed under constant surveillance and control and forced into debt, according to a statement from Romanian prosecutors.
The defendants allegedly then forced the women to take part in pornography which was later shared on social media. One defendant is accused of raping a woman twice in March 2022, the statement adds. [via BBC]
The 36-year-old Tate, who refers to himself as a “Top G” and promotes a brand of “ultimate masculinity” and “breaking free from the Matrix”, has gained a following on social media in recent years through controversial and often misogynistic means that led to him being banned from a handful of platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Since Elon Musk took over Twitter, however, Tate’s profile has been reactivated.
A statement from a team speaking on behalf of Andrew and Tristan Tate says “while this news is undoubtedly predictable, we embrace the opportunity it presents to demonstrate their innocence and vindicate their reputation.”
The Tates’ legal issues don’t end there, though, as they’re also currently being investigated for alleged money laundering and trafficking of minors, which would lead to an entirely new set of charges.
Prior to his career as a social media grifter and alleged criminal, Tate was a kickboxer and a participant in the famed reality series Big Brother.