Romanian prosecutors formally charged the influencer and his brother with exploiting minors and laundering millions of dollars
Prosecutors added that the brothers attempted to launder part of that money through the acquisition of four luxury vehicles. These accusations are part of a broader investigation into the economic and criminal activities that authorities attribute to the Tates.
The judicial authorities of Romania formally charged influencer Andrew Tate on Friday with several serious offenses, including human trafficking, money laundering, sexual relations with a minor, and witness tampering. His brother, Tristan Tate, was charged as an accomplice in the investigated crimes. The indictment represents a new development in a case that Romanian authorities began investigating several years ago.
The Tate brothers, former kickboxers with U.S. and British citizenship, are currently detained in Miami after being arrested at the end of July at the request of the United Kingdom. British authorities are seeking their extradition to face rape charges. Both have primarily resided in Romania since 2017 and are under criminal investigation in that country since December 2022 for allegations related to human trafficking.
According to the Romanian anti-organized crime unit DIICOT, the brothers recruited their victims using a seduction-based method. Prosecutors claim that Andrew Tate convinced some women that he was in a romantic relationship with them or that he intended to marry them. Subsequently, the victims were allegedly forced to produce pornographic content for a webcam business and social media platforms.
The brothers have denied all allegations. Their lawyer in Romania, Eugen Vidineac, stated that the legal team will thoroughly analyze each element of the accusation and challenge any potential deficiencies related to evidence, procedures, or legislation. The lawyer reiterated that his clients reject the accusations made against them.
One of the main elements of the accusation involves a victim who, according to DIICOT, was 15 years old when Andrew Tate allegedly seduced her in the UK in 2012. Prosecutors claim that he later transported her to Bucharest, where he allegedly used physical violence and psychological intimidation to exploit her sexually and force her to produce pornographic content.
The prosecution also charged Tristan Tate with acting as an accomplice, using physical aggression to help exert coercion over the minor. According to investigators, the brothers allegedly obtained approximately $1.25 million from the income generated by the videos and kept around 80 percent of the victim's earnings.
Despite the new formal charges, the trial in Romania will not begin immediately. Romanian legislation states that the indictment must first go through a preliminary chamber, where a judge will review the files and determine whether the evidence and procedures meet legal requirements. Although the law provides a 60-day period to complete this review, prosecutors noted that these processes often take considerably longer.
The brothers could be tried in absentia if they remain outside Romania. However, DIICOT indicated that it was still unclear whether it would formally request their extradition from the United States to face judicial proceedings in Romanian territory.
This case adds to previous proceedings against the Tates. Both were previously charged in Romania with human trafficking, but at the end of 2024, a Bucharest appeals court returned the case to prosecutors after deeming some evidence presented in the investigation inadmissible.
Tate had previously claimed that he chose to settle in Romania because he believed that law enforcement was less strict there. Now, the new charges and his detention in the United States place his activities once again under intense judicial scrutiny in both Romania and the United Kingdom.
