by A Romanian appeals court last month upheld a decision to extend Andrew Tate’s detention, meaning the former kickboxer, influencer and outspoken misogynist will remain in pre-trial detention until at least February 27.
Tate, 36, his brother Tristan, 34, and two Romanian suspects, including a former police officer, were arrested in December on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime group to exploit women . All denied wrongdoing.
Last month, a judge extended their detention until the end of February, citing “the ability … of the defendants to exercise permanent psychological control over their victims, including through the use of constant acts of violence”.
The ruling was upheld by the Bucharest Court of Appeal on Wednesday after a brief hearing for which the Tate brothers arrived in a police van handcuffed together, with Andrew proclaiming his innocence to waiting reporters. Neither has yet been charged.
The brothers’ US legal counsel, Tina Glandian, who previously represented boxer Mike Tyson and singers Chris Brown and Ke$ha, claimed their detention without charge for more than 30 days violated their international human rights.
Tate, a dual US-British citizen, was kicked out of the UK version of Big Brother in 2016 and rose to fame for his misogynistic remarks and hate speech. He said the women are partly responsible for the rape and that they “belong” to the men.
After amassing millions of social media followers, raising fears that his videos would radicalize young men, he was eventually banned from all major platforms. In November, he was reinstated on Twitter – where his account has 4.7 million followers – after the company was acquired by Elon Musk.
Prosecutors launched their investigation last March after one of the brothers allegedly raped a trafficked woman. The brothers are accused of recruiting their victims by seducing them and falsely claiming to want a romantic relationship.
The victims were then allegedly taken to properties outside Bucharest where they were allegedly forced “through physical abuse, mental intimidation and coercion” to produce pornographic content for social media sites, generating significant profits.
The prosecution has so far identified six victims, including minors. The two Romanian women in custody, Georgiana Naghel and Alexandra Luana Radu, are suspected of having acted as accomplices of the brothers.
