Controversial internet influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are facing serious allegations in Romania, where prosecutors are seeking to remand them in custody as they investigate accusations of sex with a minor and trafficking underage persons.
The two men appeared in court on Thursday afternoon as part of a new investigation involving a total of 35 alleged victims, including a woman who was only 15 at the time of the alleged offenses.
According to Romania’s agency against organised crime, DIICOT, six people in total have been detained, both Romanians and foreigners, in connection with the case. The accused are said to have been grooming vulnerable individuals, housing them in different locations, and forcing them to produce pornographic material for online broadcast.
One of the foreign men involved is accused of coercing a 17-year-old foreign citizen to perform sexual acts for online video content, keeping all the profits for himself. Additionally, he is accused of engaging in sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl.
The Tate brothers, who have previously faced charges of human trafficking and rape, strongly deny any wrongdoing in relation to the new allegations. After being questioned for several hours by DIICOT, Andrew Tate dismissed the accusations as “pathetic” and claimed that prosecutors were “desperate” and had fabricated the charges against him.
Prosecutors also allege that the brothers purchased luxury cars and registered them in other people’s names to conceal the proceeds of their illicit activities, which are said to have generated around $2.8 million through sexual exploitation.
During a 10-hour search of four properties, investigators seized cash, luxury watches, laptops, hard drives, documents, and impounded 16 luxury cars. The accused are also facing allegations of attempting to intimidate victims and witnesses.
The Tate brothers, along with four Romanian citizens, were taken into custody after questioning on Wednesday night. To extend their detention beyond 24 hours, prosecutors brought them before a judge, where they appeared in court to face the charges against them.
