Andrew and Tristan Tate given repreive after Romanian court halts plans to put brothers on trial
A Romanian court has ruled that the human trafficking case against Andrew and Tristan Tate cannot proceed to trial in its current form, dealing a significant blow to prosecutors.
The controversial influencer and his brother, who face accusations of forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, saw multiple flaws identified in their indictment by an appeals court in Bucharest.
The ruling marks a major setback for Romania’s anti-organised crime agency, DIICOT, which has spent over two years building the case against the dual US-British citizens.
The appeals court found multiple issues with the prosecution’s case, including inadmissible testimony from the two main alleged victims.
The court highlighted inconsistencies in the evidence, noting improper descriptions of acts committed by female suspects.
Prosecutors had also failed to properly explain the charges against Tate to one of the alleged victims, according to the court’s findings.
This latest ruling overturns an earlier decision from April, when the Bucharest court had initially ruled the case would proceed to trial.
The case stems from allegations that seven women were deceived into romantic relationships before being compelled to create online pornographic content.
The Tate brothers responded to the court’s decision with strong statements about their prolonged legal battle.
“We have endured an ordeal lasting two-and-a-half years,” the brothers said, pointing to what they called a “lack of credible evidence or consistency in the accusations.”
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Andrew Tate, who is a self-proclaimed misogynist, declared: “They’ve had years to build their case – years to tear apart my life, target everyone I know, and even subpoena the mother of my child. And yet, they have nothing.”
His brother Tristan added: “If there isn’t enough evidence to go to trial after all these years, that means there never was enough evidence.”
Romanian prosecutors now face a critical five-day window to either amend their case or abandon the charges entirely.
Should prosecutors opt to drop the charges, it could clear the path for the brothers’ extradition to the United Kingdom.
The Tates continue to strongly deny all accusations, which include human trafficking, forming an organised criminal group, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.
Two Romanian women are also accused of assisting the brothers, whilst Andrew Tate faces an additional rape charge.
The case has been closely monitored since December 2022, when Romanian authorities first began their investigation.
The brothers also face serious allegations in their hometown of Luton, with Bedfordshire Police securing an international arrest warrant against them.
The UK charges relate to accusations of rape and human trafficking dating back to 2012-2015, which the Tates deny.
In a separate development on Wednesday, British authorities were granted permission to seize £2 million from the brothers in unpaid tax.
A judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court determined that the Tates had failed to pay any tax on £21million of revenue generated from their various online businesses.
The brothers’ defence lawyer, Eugen Vidineac, hailed the court’s decision as “a significant legal victory.”
“After a thorough examination of the legality of the investigation, the court has rightly determined that there is insufficient basis to proceed with the case,” Vidineac said.
He added that the ruling was “a testament to the strength of our legal system and the integrity of its judges.”
Once the Romanian legal proceedings conclude, the Tate brothers will face extradition to the UK, though the timeline remains unclear.
The complex case continues to unfold across multiple jurisdictions, with significant implications for both Romanian and British justice systems.