Romanian prosecutors have detained controversial influencer Andrew Tate, who is already awaiting trial over human trafficking and rape charges, after raiding his home in a new investigation involving minors.
One of the world's best-known influencers known for misogynist and sometimes violent maxims, Andrew Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan, 36, are being held "for 24 hours" for questioning by the office for organised crime (DIICOT), their spokeswoman said.
Earlier, their residence was raided as "part of a search related to a new investigation", according to the spokeswoman.
The anti-organised crime agency, DIICOT, said that it was searching four homes in and around the capital, Bucharest, as part of investigations into allegations of the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements and money laundering.
Andrew Tate’s spokesperson Mateea Petrescu confirmed that his client's legal team is present, and noted some of the charges, while failing to acknowledge those relating to minors.
Dozens of police officers and forensic personnel have been seen scouring Mr Tate’s large property on the edge of Bucharest. He lives in a warehouse which has been converted into an extensive compound.
"During the entire criminal process, the investigated persons benefit from the procedural rights and guarantees provided by the Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as the presumption of innocence," DIICOT noted in its statement.
Andrew Tate, 37, appeared on the reality TV show Big Brother in 2016, but was removed after a video that appeared to show him attacking a woman was released.
He and his younger brother Tristan, 36, are former kickboxers and dual British-US citizens who have a huge following on social media.
Andrew Tate's TikTok videos have been viewed billions of times. He has almost ten million followers on X.
The pair were arrested in 2022 near Bucharest along with two Romanian women, and prosecutors formally indicted them last year.
All four have denied the charges they face.
In April, a senior court ruled that the prosecutors’ case met the legal criteria and that a trial could start, but did not set a date.
That ruling had followed months of legal wrangling with the defendants challenging the evidence and case file against them.
Further charges in UK
When the Tates were arrested in 2022, they were held for three months in police detention before being moved to house arrest.
They were later restricted to the Bucharest area. This was subsequently relaxed to include all of Romania.
Last month, a court overturned a recent decision to allow the Tate brothers to travel within the EU as they await trial.
Andrew Tate is known for expressing misogynistic views online and has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him.
He has been banned from various social media platforms for his misogynistic views, and also for alleged hate speech.
In March, the Tate brothers appeared at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in a separate case, after British authorities issued arrest warrants over allegations of sexual aggression in the UK between 2012 and 2015.
The appeals court granted the British request to extradite the Tates to the UK, but only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded.
Additional reporting AFP
