BUCHAREST, Romania — Influencer siblings Andrew and Tristan Tate, recently charged with human trafficking in Romania, have been permitted to travel to the United States after Romanian authorities lifted their travel restrictions, according to an official statement on Thursday.
The Tates, holding dual nationality as U.S. and British citizens and commanding a vast digital following, faced arrests in late 2022. Formally charged last year, they were accused of participating in a criminal network that exploited women after luring them to Romania. In addition to these charges, Andrew Tate faces accusations of rape. Both brothers have denied these allegations.
In December, judicial authorities ruled that procedural flaws prevented the case from advancing to trial. Despite these procedural hiccups, the case remains active, and another investigation concerning the brothers is ongoing in Romania.
Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, confirmed in an announcement that prosecutors had approved a request to amend the Tates’ travel restrictions, though details on who initiated the request remain undisclosed.
Though free to travel, the brothers are mandated to attend judicial summons, with warnings that intentional non-compliance could lead to more stringent restrictions on their liberty.
On the same day, a court approved an appeal granting the release of several of the Tates’ assets, which include luxurious vehicles, land holdings, properties, and company stakes, as per the brothers’ spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu. Alongside, any previously frozen bank accounts have been reinstated. Some assets still remain under precautionary restrictions.
Andrew Tate, a 38-year-old former kickboxing professional who openly embraces misogynistic views, has built an audience exceeding 10 million followers on social media platform X. He insists that Romanian prosecutors lack substantial evidence against him, attributing the charges to a political move to silence him. Both Andrew and his 36-year-old brother, Tristan, are noted supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Their departure from Romania follows Romania’s Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu’s, disclosure about interest expressed by a Trump administration official concerning their case during the Munich Security Conference. The Foreign Minister clarified that no undue pressure influenced the lifting of their travel restrictions, counteracting the speculation stirred by a Financial Times article.
Despite the Bucharest Court of Appeal’s ruling hindering the progression of the Tates’ case, DIICOT emphasized that the case remains open and the brothers aren’t yet exonerated.
Additionally, DIICOT initiated a separate investigation last August examining accusations involving human trafficking, trafficking minors, unlawful sexual acts with a minor, manipulating statements, and money laundering. The brothers refute these allegations as well.
Beyond Romania, the legal challenges for the Tate brothers extend internationally. Four women from Britain, accusing Andrew Tate of sexual misconduct and physical abuse, are seeking justice through the U.K. legal system after the Crown Prosecution Service abstained from pursuing the case.
These women, expressing their frustration collectively, stated they were “in disbelief and feel retraumatized” upon hearing about the removal of the travel restrictions. Matthew Jury, a legal representative from McCue Jury & Partners for these women, described the lifting of the travel ban as both “disgusting and dismaying.”
Earlier in March, the brothers faced the Bucharest Court of Appeal concerning separate accusations from U.K. authorities related to historic sexual offenses from 2012-2015. The appeals court ruled in favor of the U.K.’s extradition request, to be executed once Romanian proceedings conclude.
Furthermore, late last year, a U.K. court authorized the confiscation of over 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) from the Tates, citing unpaid taxes, and ordered the freezing of some accounts. Andrew Tate labeled this action as “outright theft,” denouncing it as a systematic strike against dissenters.
