BUCHAREST, Romania — A Romanian appeals court has determined that the human trafficking case involving influencer Andrew Tate, his brother Tristan, and two Romanian women cannot proceed to trial due to several legal and procedural irregularities by the prosecutors.
This decision comes two years after the initial arrest of Andrew Tate, 38, and his brother Tristan Tate, 36, along with the two women. They face accusations of human trafficking and operating a criminal enterprise designed to sexually exploit women, with Andrew facing an additional charge of rape.
The ruling from the Bucharest Court of Appeal marks a significant setback for Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT; however, it does not imply that the Tates and the two women are entirely exonerated as the case remains open. Moreover, the brothers are involved in a separate legal matter in Romania.
The appeals court has essentially returned the case to prosecutors, who now have the opportunity to introduce new evidence to support the charges or make amendments to the existing ones. Back in November, the court had provided prosecutors with a five-day timeframe to revise their case file or withdraw their charges entirely.
The review of the case was initiated by Tate’s defense team. His spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, stated that the court’s decision highlights the absence of credible evidence or consistency in the prosecution’s allegations.
“The review uncovered serious procedural mistakes and raised significant concerns regarding the investigative process, which diminishes the reliability of the prosecution’s case,” she remarked.
Last year, Romanian authorities formally indicted the Tate brothers along with the two women, and earlier this year, the Bucharest Tribunal indicated that a trial might commence, though no date has yet been established. All four individuals plead not guilty to the charges lodged against them.
Following the recent ruling, Andrew Tate expressed that the prosecutors had ample time to build their case, only to find that they “have nothing.” He insisted, “They arrested me, seized my money, my cars, and stripped away my freedom, branding me as the biggest enemy on the streets and tarnishing my name with the most vile accusations.”
Despite the difficulties, he affirmed, “But I never broke.”
In November, the court ruled that vital evidence, including testimonies from two alleged victims and statements from the Tate brothers, were to be excluded from the case due to their inadmissibility.
The court pointed out multiple faults in the prosecutors’ case, emphasizing that they had not adequately articulated the charges to one of the alleged victims and had improperly presented the accusations against the two female suspects. Additionally, the indictment lacked clarity regarding the asset seizure amounts involved.
Prosecutors have not provided any immediate comments concerning Thursday’s ruling.
Eugen Vidineac, one of the lawyers representing the Tate brothers, referred to the decision as “a significant legal victory,” noting that it rightly indicated an insufficient basis to move forward with the case.
“This ruling reflects the robustness of our legal system and the integrity of its judges,” Vidineac commented. “This serves as a warning to those who attempt to weaponize falsehoods: Andrew and Tristan Tate will not be silenced, and the truth will prevail.”
Andrew Tate, who has garnered over 10 million followers on the social media platform X, continues to argue that Romanian prosecutors lack evidence against him, claiming a political conspiracy is aimed at silencing him.
In a separate matter, a British court recently ruled that police could confiscate over 2.6 million pounds (approximately $3.3 million) from the Tate brothers to cover years of unpaid taxes.
Andrew Tate condemned this action as “outright theft” and described it as “a coordinated attack on anyone who dares to challenge the system.”
Additionally, Romania’s DIICOT has initiated a new investigation into the Tates concerning allegations of human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sexual relations with a minor, influencing testimonies, and money laundering, which they also deny.
In March, the Tate brothers attended a hearing at the Bucharest Court of Appeal following the issuance of arrest warrants from British authorities over alleged sexual aggressions occurring between 2012 and 2015 in the UK.
While the appeals court approved the extradition requests from the UK, it stipulated that this would only take place once the legal matters in Romania are resolved.
After their initial arrest in December 2022, the Tate brothers remained under police custody for three months, before being placed under house arrest. Their movements were later confined to Bucharest and the surrounding Ilfov county, and ultimately restricted within Romania.