Andrew Tate detained again as Romanian cops probe new human trafficking allegations
Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate was detained again Wednesday as masked Romanian cops carried out fresh raids on his home amid new allegations of human trafficking and sex with a minor, authorities said.
The self-proclaimed misogynist — who is already awaiting trial on rape and human trafficking charges — was hauled away from his Bucharest property alongside his 36-year-old brother Tristan.
“What I’ve done wrong, who knows,” Tate, 37, raged to reporters as he was ushered into a police van amid the latest probe.
“Anything to put me in jail except to give me a trial. No trial, no judge, this country is crazy.”
The brothers’ detainment came as dozens of police officers and forensic personnel descended on their large home on the outskirts of the city throughout Wednesday as part of four raids on separate properties, authorities said.
Romania’s anti-organized crime agency DIICOT said the investigation concerned “a criminal case regarding the commission of the crimes of setting up an organized criminal group, trafficking of minors, human trafficking, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements and money laundering.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if the raids were tied to the case Tate is currently awaiting trial for.
Tate was indicted last year along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women for human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
All four have denied the allegations.
Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, said late Wednesday that the brothers had already been detained for 24 hours, which is the maximum DIICOT can hold them without a judge approving a request by prosecutors for a longer period.
“As of yet, no proposal has been submitted by the prosecution,” Petrescu said.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the Tate brothers — both former kickboxers and dual British-US citizens — were still being held as of Thursday.
In response to the raids, Petrescu said that “although the charges in the search warrant are not yet fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering” and added that his legal team is present.
His rep didn’t address the allegations involving minors.
Tate, who has gained millions of fans online by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle that critics say denigrates women, was initially held for three months in police detention in the wake of his 2022 arrest.
He was later moved to house arrest before later being restricted to Romania while awaiting trial.
Last month, a Romanian court of appeal overturned the previous ruling that allowed Tate free movement within the European Union while awaiting trial on the charges of human trafficking.
