Romanian prosecutors are asking a courtroom in Bucharest to remand in custody the controversial web influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan as they examine new and critical allegations, together with intercourse with a minor and trafficking underage individuals.
The 2 males appeared in courtroom on Thursday afternoon.
The brand new investigation includes a complete of 35 alleged victims, together with a girl who was 15 on the time.
In a press release, Romania’s company in opposition to organised crime, DIICOT, mentioned six individuals had been detained in complete, each Romanians and foreigners.
The Tate brothers have beforehand been charged with human trafficking – and Andrew Tate charged with rape – and are awaiting trial on these prices.
They strongly denied any wrongdoing and deny the formal prices they face. These are new and separate allegations.
The anti-organised crime company says the accused have been grooming “weak” individuals, who have been then housed in numerous areas and compelled to provide pornographic materials for on-line broadcast.
One of many international males is accused of forcing a 17-year-old international citizen to “carry out sexual acts” in an effort to make on-line video content material. He’s mentioned to have saved all of the $1.5m (£1.1m) revenue. The assertion doesn’t title him.
The identical man is accused of repeatedly having sexual relations with a lady who was 15 years previous once they met.
After questioning for a number of hours on the DIICOT workplaces, Andrew Tate instructed the BBC on Wednesday evening that the most recent allegations have been “pathetic” and that prosecutors have been “determined”. He mentioned they’d “made up lots”.
He additionally mentioned he was accused of “lover-boying” the mom of his kids – a method utilized by criminals to prey on victims’ vulnerabilities after which exploit them.
A infamous misogynist with a large on-line following, Andrew Tate has referred on Twitter/X to the case in opposition to him as some sort of mainstream “conspiracy” to silence him.
Within the new assertion, prosecutors accuse the brothers of shopping for 4 luxurious automobiles, and registering them within the names of different individuals in an effort to cover the proceeds of what they describe as their illicit exercise.
In complete, it’s alleged that the accused made some $2.8m by means of sexual exploitation.
These detained are additionally accused of trying to intimidate the victims and witnesses.
Throughout a 10-hour search of 4 properties on Wednesday, investigators seized money and different objects, together with luxurious watches, laptops, laborious drives and paperwork. In addition they impounded 16 luxurious automobiles.
The Tate brothers have been taken into custody late on Wednesday evening after questioning, together with 4 Romanian residents.
However to carry them longer than 24 hours, the prosecutors needed to deliver them earlier than a decide, and the brothers appeared in courtroom hours later.