Self-described misogynist, Andrew Tate has been charged with rape and human trafficking in Romania, as well as other charges including forming an organised crime group to exploit women.
Tate has been charged alongside his brother Tristan Tate, as well as two other associates, with all denying the allegations. Human trafficking carries prison sentences of up to ten years under Romanian law, but this trial is now expected to be caught up in the legal justice system for a number of years.
With seven victims named, the indictment from the Bucharest court alleges the women were recruited by the Tate brothers with promises of love and marriage, before being taken to buildings in Romania where they were placed under constant control and continuous surveillance. The Romanian prosecutors say the women were intimidated, forced into debt, and forced to take part in pornography which was shared on social media.
Tate is a controversial “influencer” with millions of followers on social media who rose to notoriety on reality TV in 2016. He has shared his luxurious lifestyle in numerous videos, claiming to have 33 cars in a tweet trolling Greta Thunberg. He has described himself in YouTube videos as a misogynist and a sexist, and claims “there’s no way you can be rooted in reality and not be sexist”.
Banned across multiple social media platforms, his profile was reinstated on Twitter under Elon Musk’s ownership of the platform after previously being booted off for saying that women should take responsibility for being sexually assaulted.
Tate’s TikTok videos have surpassed billions of views, including ones where he describes women as “man’s property”, that women “can’t drive” and that he only dates 18 or 19 year old women because they are young enough for him to “imprint”.
In a YouTube video that has since been deleted, Tate said one of the reasons he moved to Romania was because it’s easier to get off sexual assault charges there. In a video, he explained it was “probably 40 per cent of the reason” he moved there.
The charges in Romania come after Tate was arrested in December. He was held in custody with his brother until March when they were moved to house arrest. At the time of Tate’s arrest, the Tate brothers’ media team commented on their behalf: “While this news is undoubtedly predictable, we embrace the opportunity it presents to demonstrate their innocence and vindicate their reputation.”
According to court documents, Tate, his brother and the two associates, are charged with organising a criminal group for the purpose of committing human trafficking in Romania in 2021.
During a BBC interview a couple of weeks ago, Tate claimed he was a “force for good” and acts under the “instruction of God to do good things.