Romanian authorities have formally charged social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan with a series of severe offenses, including the trafficking of minors and money laundering, following a multi-year investigation.
The anti-organized crime prosecuting unit, DIICOT, announced the official indictment on Friday. The charges against Andrew Tate include trafficking minors, money laundering, sex with a minor, and witness tampering. His brother, Tristan Tate, faces charges of complicity.
Both brothers, who hold dual U.S. and British citizenship, are currently held in a Miami jail after being arrested in late July. Their arrest followed an extradition request from Britain, where they face separate rape allegations.
According to prosecutors, the brothers used a deceptive strategy to recruit victims. Authorities said the defendants seduced individuals by falsely promising relationships or marriage before forcing them to create pornographic webcam content.
Investigators detailed one specific case involving a victim who was 15 years old when Andrew Tate seduced her in Britain in 2012. Prosecutors said he relocated her to Bucharest, where he used physical violence and mental intimidation to sexually exploit her for social media video content. DIICOT stated that Tristan Tate acted as an accessory by using physical aggression to coerce the victim.
Authorities allege the brothers kept $1.25 million generated by the victim’s videochat activities, which represented about 80 percent of her total earnings. Prosecutors said the brothers attempted to launder those funds by purchasing four luxury vehicles.
Legal representatives for the brothers stated that their clients deny all allegations.
”We will examine every aspect of (the indictment) with the same level of scrutiny and we will challenge any evidential, procedural or legal deficiencies through the appropriate judicial process,” said Eugen Vidineac, a Romanian lawyer representing the Tates. “Our clients continue to reject the allegations against them.”
A spokesperson for DIICOT noted it remains unclear if Romanian prosecutors will seek the brothers’ extradition from the United States.
Although Romanian law allows defendants to be tried in absentia, a trial will not begin right away. Under local legal procedures, the indictment must first go to a preliminary court chamber. A judge will review the case files to verify their legality, a process that routinely takes longer than the standard 60-day deadline set by law.
The former kickboxers have primarily lived in Romania since 2017 and have been under criminal investigation there since December 2022. Romanian courts previously indicted the pair on human trafficking charges, but the Bucharest Court of Appeals returned the case to prosecutors in late 2024 after ruling that certain evidence was inadmissible.
The brothers have built a large online audience, consisting mostly of young men, by showcasing a lifestyle focused on high-end automobiles and wealth. Andrew Tate, a self-described misogynist, has previously stated that he relocated to Romania due to what he described as more lax law enforcement in the country.
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