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Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, who were arrested in connection with human trafficking and s*xual assault cases, will remain in custody until February 27, 2023.
A Romanian court extended the brothers' detention for a second time on Thursday, January 19, 2023, as police are building their case against them.
Tate, along with his co-accused, were arrested on December 29, 2022, following which the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) raided their home and found six women who were being held prisoner and exploited. In light of the discovery, the Romanian courts initially extended their detention by 30 days.
DIICOT prosecutors haven't filed charges against Andrew Tate, preventing him from making a plea
Former kickboxer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been in custody since December 29, and are being investigated for r*pe, human trafficking, and forming an organized criminal group that "s*xually exploited women" by forcing them to "create p*rnographic content."
On December 30, 2022, DIICOT raided the Tate brothers' properties and found six women who were held across their different luxury properties and forced to "perform p*rnographic acts" under "threats of violence." Furthermore, police found weapons and several stacks of cash in the raid, allowing the prosecutors to apply to hold the accused at the detention center for 30 days, which was accepted.
Police suspect two of the six victims were misled into believing that "they intended to enter into a marriage/cohabitation relationship" to get them to Romania.
On January 4, 2023, Spy News reported that police seized the influencer's luxury properties and several cars, including his infamous Bugatti Chiron. Since then, the country's Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ANABI) has stated that they seized goods and money worth 18 million lei, roughly $3.95 million.
On January 10, 2023, the millionaire brothers appealed to the courts to end their detention, which was promptly denied. Around the same time, it was reported that the former kickboxer had developed lung nodules and was rushed to the hospital.
Who is Andrew Tate?
Andrew Tate is a British-American social media personality known for his former kickboxing career. He rose to fame online following his viral rants about male dominance, violence against women, and female submission. This led to all major social media platforms banning him.
Despite his misogynistic comments and hate speech, Tate has amassed a huge fan following, especially among young men who are moved by his ultra-luxurious and alpha masculine lifestyle.
36-year-old Top-G, a reference to Andrew Tate, has denied all allegations against him. On January 14, 2023, a tweet from Tate's account, @Cobratate stated:
"Anyone who believes I’m a human trafficker is genuinely a moron."
On Sunday, January 15, 2023, dozens of young men gathered on Ermou Street in Athens, Greece, protesting against his arrest and shouting, "Free Top G."
A Romanian lawyer remarked that if Tate is found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
