Andrew Tate held over child trafficking allegations | UK News

Andrew Tate has been placed under house arrest in Romania as prosecutors investigate new and serious allegations involving sex and human trafficking of minors.

The controversial online influencer appeared in court earlier today, along with his brother Tristan, who has also been placed under special judicial supervision.

The charges follow a raid this week on Tate’s home following new allegations of human trafficking and sexual exploitation involving a total of 35 victims, including a woman who was 15 at the time.

In a statement, Romania’s agency for combating organized crime, DIICOT, said a total of six people, both Romanians and foreigners, had been arrested.

The charges include human trafficking, trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with minors, tampering with statements and money laundering, the agency said. However, the agency did not specify which charges applied to the individual suspects.

As Andrew Tate left the courtroom, he delivered an angry statement, labeling the case against him as “conspiracy” and lies.

“This is a trap. It’s absolutely disgusting,” the BBC reports. “Thirty of these girls say we did nothing wrong. Two are the mothers of our children.”

When repeatedly questioned by a BBC reporter about the allegations of having sex with a 15-year-old girl, Tate refused to answer.

Tate’s spokesman Mateea Petrescu said yesterday in response to the raids on his Bucharest home that “although the charges in the search warrant have not yet been fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering.”

Ms Petrescu declined to comment on the allegations involving minors.

The Tate brothers have previously been accused of rape and human trafficking and are awaiting trial on those charges in Romania.

A year ago they were released from house arrest and told not to leave Romania.

This week’s charges are separate allegations that “vulnerable” people are being manipulated and coerced into making porn online in various locations, DIICOT reports.

When the brothers were arrested by police on Wednesday evening, Andrew Tate told reporters that prosecutors had become “desperate.”

“This case is even dumber than the first one. Wait until you see it. They say I seduced the mother of my children. And we tricked them into having children. Unbelievable,” Tate said.

“Wait till you see it. Remember the first case and the media didn’t ask where the evidence was. This is your chance.”

The ‘loverboy method’ is a technique used by human traffickers, where they manipulate their victims by forcing them into romantic relationships. Once emotionally attached, the victim is forced into exploitation, such as forced prostitution, under the guise of love or a future together.

Brothers Andrew (36) and Tristan (37) Tate are originally from Luton. They have gained millions of followers on social media by promoting an ultra-masculine lifestyle, which has often been accused of promoting extremely anti-female views.

The brothers have previously denied all allegations against them and Andrew Tate called the case part of a wider “conspiracy” to silence him.

No date has yet been set for the trial.

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