Masked police executed new raids on Wednesday morning at the residence of controversial internet personality Andrew Tate in Romania. Tate is currently awaiting trial on serious accusations including human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal organization aimed at sexually exploiting women.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) announced that it was conducting searches at four locations in Bucharest and the nearby Ilfov County. The operation is part of an investigation into allegations of human trafficking, minor trafficking, sexual relations with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering. The agency also indicated that hearings would occur at its headquarters later.
Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, acknowledged the raids, noting that while the details of the charges in the search warrants were not entirely clear, they included suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering. However, she did not comment on the allegations involving minors.
Numerous police officers and forensic experts were seen examining Tate’s expansive property located on the outskirts of Bucharest. DIICOT reaffirmed that during the criminal investigation, those being investigated retain their procedural rights and presumption of innocence.
Andrew Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan, 36, both former kickboxers and dual citizens of the UK and the US with a significant online following, were apprehended in 2022 alongside two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted the quartet last year, which they have denied.
Petrescu indicated that the Tate brothers had been detained for 24 hours— the maximum duration allowed by DIICOT without a judge’s approval for an extension. “No proposal has been submitted by the prosecution yet,” she stated.
As they were taken from their home to a police van, Andrew Tate expressed frustration with the pace of the proceedings, questioning, “What I’ve done wrong, who knows?”
Known for his controversial and misogynistic commentary, Tate has 9.9 million followers on the social media platform X. He has consistently claimed that prosecutors lack evidence and alleged a political conspiracy aimed at silencing him. He has faced prior bans from various platforms due to his views and hate speech.
In April, the Bucharest Tribunal ruled that the prosecutors’ case against the four individuals met the necessary legal criteria for a trial, though no date was set. This decision followed months of preliminary discussions, where defendants could contest the evidence presented.
Post-arrest in 2022, the Tate brothers spent three months in police custody before being placed under house arrest. Initially restricted to Bucharest and Ilfov, they were later confined to the entirety of Romania.
A court recently reversed a prior ruling allowing the brothers to leave Romania while awaiting trial. This earlier ruling had permitted them to travel within the European Union but was ultimately deemed final.
In March, the Tate brothers appeared at the Bucharest Court of Appeal regarding a separate matter, following British authorities’ requests for their extradition linked to allegations of sexual aggression in the UK from 2012 to 2015. The appeals court approved the extradition request but stipulated that it would take place only after the legal proceedings in Romania conclude.