Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been arrested in Romania on a British arrest warrant.
A court in Bucharest has agreed to extradite the brothers to Britain – but the extradition could take several years.
The court does not want to extradite the brothers until an already ongoing and separate court case in Romania is completed.
The Tate brothers have previously been suspected of, among other things, rape and human trafficking. They were arrested in December 2022 and placed under house arrest, but after an appeal in August 2023 are allowed to move freely within the country’s borders.
– I want to finish the trial in Romania first. It is important for me to show the world that I have been innocent all along, said Andrew Tate in court on Tuesday.
According to the AFP news agency, it may take several years before the ongoing trial is completed.
Planned escape
The British arrest warrant must have already been issued on January 19. But Tuesday’s arrest took place after a British law firm approached the police with information that the brothers were about to flee the country.
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“We wrote to the British police to alert them and urge them to immediately issue an arrest warrant in Romania and deportation to the UK,” writes law firm McCue jury and partners on X.
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The law firm that tipped off authorities is representing four women who accuse Andrew Tate of rape and sexual assault that allegedly took place between 2012 and 2015.
Banned from social media
Former professional kickboxer Andrew Tate gained media attention back in 2016 when he took part in the UK version of the TV show ‘Big brother’. He was kicked out of the show after a clip was released showing him hitting a woman with a belt.
In 2022, Andrew Tate received huge publicity for his misogynistic statements, including that female rape victims “bear some responsibility”.
Tate was suspended from Tiktok, Youtube and Facebook in 2022. However, his video clips, which targeted young men, continued to spread through other accounts that reshared the content.
Accused of human trafficking
Andrew Tate has spoken on several occasions about how he ran a so-called “cam girl” business where women who film themselves on webcam are paid, sometimes by viewers, to perform sexual acts. Several of the charges facing the brothers in Romania, including human trafficking, relate to such activities.
Tate, who has long mixed conspiracy theories into his messages, claims the allegations against him are fabricated by a global power elite.
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Fact
Fakta: Andrew Tate
Influencer, self-proclaimed men’s rights activist and provocateur who made a big impact in the so-called “manosphere” environment on the Internet, claiming to offer a form of self-help for young men.
Tate has been banned from social media on several occasions, but thanks to his many supporters, Tate’s content was able to spread through fan accounts, making him one of the most noticed people in 2022.
Tate’s own so-called school – “Hustlers university” – has been said to offer young men guidance in the dating market and in finances.
