Romanian court rejects Andrew Tate’s request, trial against controversial influencer can begin

A Romanian court on Friday rejected the requests of British influencer Andrew Tate, kicking off his trial in the country for organized human trafficking and rape. However, no date has been set yet. His lawyers immediately appealed the decision, calling it unlawful and unfounded. They insist Tate is innocent.

The 37-year-old influencer will appear in court together with his 35-year-old brother Tristan. The Romanian public prosecutor’s office suspects them of sexual exploitation of several women. The brothers were arrested at the end of 2022 and were held in Bucharest for three months. They were indicted in June 2023 and are not allowed to leave the country.

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According to prosecutors, the victims were lured into a trap by the two men, who pretended to have feelings for them (known as the ‘loverboy’ method), before forcing them into making pornographic films through physical and psychological violence.

Andrew Tate is also charged with two counts of rape. An arrest warrant has also been issued by British authorities against the two brothers, who deny all charges. It also includes allegations of rape and human trafficking following complaints from several women. The Romanian judiciary indicated in March that it was prepared to accept their extradition, but only after their trial in Romania, which could take years.

Influencer Andrew Tate, born in the United States in 1986, has been living in Romania for a number of years. Before he ended up behind bars, he said he appreciated “the freedom” there and “the fact that corruption is accessible to everyone.”

The kickboxer has been banned from Instagram and TikTok for misogynistic comments, but is followed by more than nine million people on the social network X, where he shows off his bulging muscles, smokes cigars and fascinates millions of teenagers with his luxurious cars.