Andrew Tate’s defamation lawsuit against human trafficking accuser can go to trial, judge says

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A choose says controversial social media persona Andrew Tate ‘s defamation lawsuit in opposition to a Florida girl who accused him of imprisoning her in Romania can go to trial, however he threw out Tate’s allegations in opposition to her mother and father and a few allegations in opposition to the girl.

Palm Seashore County Circuit Choose Joseph Curley dominated that the extensively adopted former skilled kickboxer, 37, and his brother, Tristan, 36, can current their allegations to a jury that the girl in 2022 enlisted one other girl in a plot to extort cash from them.

The British-American brothers say the girl falsely accused them of human trafficking and rape, costing them their freedom and tens of millions of {dollars} in revenue from their profitable social media, podcasting and enterprise ventures. Romanian officers indicted the Tates final yr, saying the brothers compelled seven victims into pornography and subjected them to bodily violence.

Her attorneys say the lawsuit is in retribution for her reporting him to authorities. The Related Press usually doesn’t title individuals who say they’ve been sexually assaulted.

Curley mentioned in final week’s ruling, posted to on-line court docket data Tuesday, that the Tates’ attorneys have proven sufficient doable proof that the girl defamed their shoppers and was making an attempt to defraud and extort them to warrant a trial. He pointed to April 2022 textual content messages the girl and her pal exchanged the place they are saying they are going to ask the Tates for $200,000 and “act like we nonetheless love them and stuff.”

Curley additionally pointed to different textual content messages that might point out the girl knew she falsely accused the Tates of intercourse trafficking and false imprisonment. No trial date has been set and due to discovery and authorized challenges it may very well be years earlier than one happens.

Curley did throw out elements of the lawsuit accusing the girl of false imprisonment for the Tates being arrested, intentional infliction of emotional misery and interfering with their enterprise relationships. He left the door open to their attorneys amending and refiling these accusations.

Curley dismissed the Tates’ accusations that the girl’s mother and father defamed them once they advised American diplomatic officers about their daughter’s allegations. He mentioned they’d no cause to imagine their daughter’s accusations have been false and had a proper to report them.

Attorneys for the Tates and the girl every mentioned Curley’s choice was a win for his or her facet.

Tate lawyer Joseph McBride mentioned they’re “most happy with Choose Curley’s ruling” because the defamation accusation immediately addresses the “plot to destroy Andrew and Tristan Tate’s lives.” He mentioned no choice has been made on whether or not to amend and refile the dismissed accusations.

The Nationwide Heart on Sexual Exploitation Regulation, which represents the girl and her mother and father, referred to as Curley’s ruling a “big victory.”

“We’re very happy the Courtroom has tossed out the vast majority of this frivolous lawsuit and properly narrowed the problems and claims,” lawyer Dani Pinter mentioned in an announcement. “If the case proceeds, we stay up for the chance to show the reality of what occurred in Romania, and we’re assured that finally we are going to succeed and this harassing lawsuit will fail.”

Romanian investigators mentioned of their indictment that the Tates and two Romanian girls shaped a legal group in 2021 “to be able to commit the crime of human trafficking” in that nation, the USA and Britain. Prosecutors additionally confiscated the Tates’ belongings, together with 15 luxurious automobiles, luxurious watches and about $3 million in cryptocurrency.

Investigators say the seven accusers have been recruited with false declarations of affection, however then compelled to participate in pornography. The girls have been managed by “intimidation, fixed surveillance” and claims they have been in debt, officers mentioned.

However the Tates, of their lawsuit, paint a unique image. They are saying the Florida girl and all girls who lived at their property have been free to return and go as they happy, and closed-circuit safety video can show it.

Earlier this month, a Romanian choose lifted a year-long bar on the Tates leaving that nation, however mentioned they have to keep inside the European Union whereas they await trial.

“THE SHAM CASE IS FALLING APART,” Andrew Tate wrote on the social media platform X.

Andrew Tate has been banned from TikTok, YouTube and Fb after the platforms accused him of posting hate speech and misogynistic feedback, together with that girls ought to bear accountability for being sexually assaulted. However he stays fashionable on X, with virtually 10 million followers, lots of them younger males and schoolchildren. He runs a web based academy the place he says he teaches younger males the way to get wealthy and entice girls.

A number of girls in Britain are also pursuing civil claims in opposition to Andrew Tate, alleging they have been victims of sexual violence. British authorities have charged the Tates criminally with sexual aggression. Particulars haven’t been disclosed.

In a 2023 interview with the BBC, Andrew Tate denied spreading a tradition of misogyny and accusations that he manipulated girls for monetary acquire.