Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been arrested in Romania over allegations of sexual aggression.
The brothers were detained on Monday night on charges that date back to between 2012 and 2015.
They were handed an arrest warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London – and an investigation is pending.
Andrew, 37, and Tristan, 35, deny all allegations against them. Their representatives said they were “fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve”.
The brothers are facing rape and human trafficking charges in Romania, where they live, and had previously been in jail and later under house arrest since they were detained in December 2022.
They were charged alongside two Romanian women who are accused of being part of the alleged organised crime group.
It is alleged all four formed the group in 2021 to commit human trafficking in Romania and other countries – including the US and UK.
Tate won an appeal in August 2023 to be released from house arrest as he awaits trial on a date which has yet to be decided.
The brothers were told they were able to travel anywhere within Romania but could not leave the country.
Read more: Who is Andrew Tate?
In January, a Romanian court also overurned a decision to seize Tate’s assets, which saw him regain access to his supercars, properties and designer watches.
Prosecutors said in January last year that they had seized 15 luxury vehicles and more than 10 properties and homes belonging to the suspects to prevent the assets from being sold or hidden.
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From January 2023: Andrew Tate’s cars confiscated from villa
Fourteen designer watches, two ingots – blocks of usually precious metal – and cash, were also confiscated, with authorities saying at the time the seized property was worth €3.6m (£3.12m).
Tate, a former kickboxer and Big Brother contestant, gained millions of fans on social media in recent years after styling himself as the “king of toxic masculinity”.
He has 8.9 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, but has been banned on several other platforms including TikTok for his misogynistic views.
Andrew Tate and his cohorts have finally been brought to justice. This is a victory for all who have been affected by their vile rhetoric. I hope this sends a clear message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.
Andrew Tate is a dangerous misogynist and I’m glad he’s finally been arrested. He has spread so much hate and division, and he has inspired others to do the same. I hope he spends the rest of his life in prison.
Oh no! How will we ever survive without Andrew Tate’s brilliant insights on women and relationships? I guess we’ll just have to rely on the wisdom of our own common sense.
Andrew Tate is like a real-life troll. He just says and does whatever he wants, and he doesn’t care who he hurts. I’m surprised he hasn’t been arrested sooner.
I’m shocked! I never would have guessed that Andrew Tate, the self-proclaimed ‘king of toxic masculinity’, would be involved in something like human trafficking. Who could have seen this coming?
Andrew Tate and his brother were arrested in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking, rape, and organized crime. The arrest was made after a UK court issued an arrest warrant. The brothers are currently being held in custody and are due to appear in court on Monday.
This is a serious matter, and I hope that the Romanian authorities will investigate thoroughly. Human trafficking is a heinous crime, and it’s important that those responsible are brought to justice.
This is just a publicity stunt. Andrew Tate is a master manipulator and he’s using this arrest to gain attention. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up walking away from this scot-free.