Romanian authorities have once again raided the home of controversial internet figure Andrew Tate, according to AP. The 37-year-old influencer, who is awaiting trial on multiple serious charges including human trafficking and sexual exploitation, faces a fresh set of legal hurdles. This latest raid, conducted by Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, has put a bigger spotlight on the Tate brothers, who have denied any wrongdoing and allege the recent raids are part of a larger conspiracy.
New Raids In Bucharest & Ilfov County
In the early hours of Wednesday, masked police officers descended upon Andrew Tate’s residence in Bucharest, as well as three other locations in the surrounding Ilfov County. Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) led the operation as part of an ongoing investigation into serious allegations, including human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering. Following the raids, DIICOT announced that hearings would be conducted later at their headquarters to further probe these allegations.
Tate's Legal Team Responds
Mateea Petrescu, a spokesperson for Andrew Tate, acknowledged the raids and confirmed that his legal team is actively involved. "Although the charges in the search warrant are not yet fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering," Tate's spokesperson said. Notably, there was no mention of the allegations involving minors.
Andrew Tate Responds
Following the raids, Tate reposted a video of his brother, Tristan, addressing the allegations involving a minor, claiming that the alleged victim is actually a friend of theirs who would be willing to testify on their behalf. “The "minor" they are talking about is 24 years old. But because she first followed me years ago, when she was 17. They say I INTENDED TO traffic her. Even though, I literally did nothing to her and we've been friends for years,” he tweeted.
Later, he suggested that his pro-Palestine stance played a role in the raids and wrote #FreeGaza on his page. “9 hours into the house search and an armed police officer looks at me apologetically and shrugs his shoulders. He said ‘You've made somebody very angry,’” he tweeted. “I don't have a phone because it was taken by the police. But when I speak loud my words are heard by someone from a computer far far away by magic.”
Ongoing Legal Struggles
This raid is just the latest development in the ongoing legal battles facing Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan. The two, both former kickboxers with dual British-U.S. citizenship, were arrested in Romania in 2022 alongside two Romanian women. Prosecutors formally indicted the group last year, and in April, a Bucharest court ruled that their case met the necessary legal criteria for trial, though a start date has yet to be set. Despite the charges, Tate and his associates have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Since their arrest, the Tate brothers have faced a series of legal restrictions. Initially held in police detention, they were later placed under house arrest and restricted to Bucharest and Ilfov County, before the restrictions extended to all of Romania. In July, a court ruling that temporarily allowed the brothers to leave Romania, provided they remained within the European Union, was overturned, keeping them grounded as they await trial.
[Via]