Ex-kickboxer Andrew Tate trafficked and sexually exploited several women, allege prosecutors

With a Romanian appeals court rejecting a new bail request by controversial internet celebrity and former world kickboxing champion Andrew Tate on Wednesday (February 1), Romanian prosecutors alleged that the 36-year-old British-American trafficked and sexually exploited several women. According to prosecutors, Tate raped a Moldovan woman twice in Romania in March last year while seeking to enlist her in a human-trafficking operation focused on making pornography for OnlyFans, news agency Reuters reported on Thursday (February 2).

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The Moldovan woman, who initially thought it was love, was urged by Tate to join him in Romania. Tate first met the woman virtually on Instagram in January 2022. They met in person in London the following month and by March, the woman was in Romania, the prosecutors said.

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The two discussed marriage and Tate asked for only one thing: absolute loyalty. "You must understand that once you are mine, you will be mine forever," Tate told the woman on February 4 last year in one of the dozens of WhatsApp messages cited by the prosecutors. On February 9, he messaged, "Nothing bad will happen. But you have to be on my side."

The above allegations and messages are part of an unpublished document dated December 30, 2022. The document gives details of the illicit business allegedly operated by Andrew Tateand his brother Tristan, who is also a former professional kickboxer, Reuters reported.

In the document, prosecutors said that the Tate brothers used deception and intimidation to bring six women under their control and "transform them into slaves".

Eugen Vidineac, the lawyer for Andrew and Tristan, said the alleged victims were not mistreated, but "lived off the backs of the famous Tates", as per the document. Vidineac acknowledged that the Moldovan woman and Andrew had sex but it was consensual. The lawyer accused the woman of fabricating the rape claims.

Two of the six women told Romanian TV station Antena3 on January 11 that they were not victims and that the Tate brothers were innocent. Antena3 identified the women by their first names Beatrice and Lasmina. "You cannot list me as a victim if I say I am not one," Beatrice told the TV station. The four women, including the Moldovan, have not issued any statements so far.

Andrew Tate "has never had" a creator account on OnlyFans: Spokesperson

An OnlyFans spokesperson told Reuters that Andrew Tate has never had a creator account or he received payments. The spokesperson said that OnlyFans had been monitoring the former kickboxer since last year and took "proactive measures" to stop him from posting or monetising content. The spokesperson also told the news agency that creators as a whole underwent extensive identification checks and all content was reviewed by the platform, which worked closely with law enforcement.

2022: Authorities suspect American woman was held against her will

In April last year, the police raided one of the properties of the Tate brothers on the suspicion that an American woman was being held there against her will. The prosecutors said that the woman,one of the six alleged victims,met Tristan Tate online in November 2021 and then in person in Miami the following month. They added that Tristan lured the American woman to Romania by expressing "false feelings" for her and promising a serious relationship. He also paid for her travel ticket and said he could help her earn "100K a month" on OnlyFans.

As per the unpublished document, Tristan picked her up at the Bucharest airport and took her back to his house, which had two armed guards. He told the woman that she was not a prisoner but the guards would not let her step outside without his permission. Tristan said it was dangerous for her to leave as he had enemies.

The prosecutors pointed out that there were cameras all over the house, which the former kickboxer monitored remotely. They added that Tristan once messaged the woman that he could see where she was and what she was doing, Reuters further reported.

When the American moved to another house with four girlfriends of Andrew Tate, she was allowed outside but only if accompanied by other women, the prosecutors said and added she was very afraid of the brothers.

However, the Tate brothers' lawyer Eugen Vidineac said in the document that the woman had a phone, and internet access and had the freedom to leave the house whenever she wanted.

(With inputs from agencies)

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