Explained: The crimes of Andrew Tate. What do the charges say?

Romanian prosecutors on Tuesday (June 20) sent British social media influencer Andrew Tate, his brother Tristan and two other suspects to trial on the charges of human trafficking and rape, the news agency Reuters reported. Andrew, Tristan and the two Romanian female suspects are currently under house arrest pending a probe for abuses committed against seven women. Prosecutors said that these women were lured through false claims of relationships.

The Tate brothers and the suspects have denied the accusations. They were in police custody from December 29 last year till March 31 this year before a Bucharest court put them under house arrest, which prosecutors sought to extend, Reuters reported.

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Now, a judge will decide Wednesday whether to prolong the detention for 30 days or replace it with a lighter measure. The trial will not start immediately. As per Romanian law, the case would be sent to the Bucharest court's preliminary chamber, where a judge has 60 days to inspect the case files to ensure legality. Trafficking of adults carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years, as does rape.

For now, Romanian authorities have asked for the defendants to stay under house arrest. If found guilty, theywould face years in prison, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

What are the charges levelled?

Andrew Tate, a former world kickboxing champion and a self-described misogynist, has been charged with raping one of the seven victims. Tristan, a former European kickboxing champion, has been charged with instigating others into violence.

Prosecutors from Romania's anti-organised crime prosecution unit (DIICOT) said the Tate brothers and the two female suspects are accused of forming an organised crime group in 2021 with a view to committing the crime of trafficking in persons on the territory of Romania, but also in other countries such as the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK), according to a report by the news agency AFP.

The prosecutors said the crime group sexually exploited the seven victims "through acts of physical violence and psychological coercion." The victims were forced to engage in pornographic acts with a view to producing and disseminating such material via social media platforms, they added.

The victims were allegedly brought to and kept on the outskirts of Bucharest. They were recruited through the "loverboy method", with Andrew and Tristan misleading them with fake feelings of love and plans for lasting partnerships.

The prosecutors also said that one of the defendants - through physical violence and psychological pressure - forced one victim in March last year to "repeatedly engage in sexual relations". Though it is not known who is the defendant but a source close to the ongoing investigation told AFP the defendant was Andrew.

Tuesday's indictment has also sought the confiscation of property, luxury watches, cash and cryptocurrency seized by prosecutors during the probe.

Prosecutors also said they were investigating the four suspects in a separate ongoing case on allegations of money laundering, witness tampering, and child and adult trafficking.

'We embrace the opportunity...': Tate's legal team on indictment

Reacting to the indictment, a spokesperson from Tate's legal team said on Tuesday, "We embrace the opportunity (a trial) presents to demonstrate their innocence and vindicate their reputation."

The team also said that the case allowed to present a comprehensive body of evidence, diligently collected and prepared over time, which will undoubtedly substantiate the brothers' claims of innocence.

“Tate’s legal team are prepared to cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities, presenting all necessary evidence to exonerate the brothers and expose any misinterpretations or false accusations,” Tate's spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said, the Los Angeles Times said in a report.

Tate threatened with sex abuse lawsuit

The fresh charges against the Tate brothers come a week after a British law firm served Andrew with legal papers, with four women threatening him with a lawsuit in the English courts over allegations of sexual assault. The women, who are now in their late 20s and early 30s, said the offences took place from 2013-16 when Andrew was living in the UK.

A statement from the law firm on June 14 described the allegations as "including violent rapes, serious physical assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour."

The statement added the women "put Tate on notice that, depending on his response, legal proceedings will be initiated against him at the High Court in London in the coming weeks."

Three of the four women filed criminal complaints that British authorities decided to reject, the statement further said. A spokesperson for Andrew said that he categorically denied the veracity of the accusations brought by the lawyers of the anonymous women in the UK, as per the AFP report on June 14.

Apart from the above, several other women in the UK are also pursuing civil claim damages from Andrew, alleging they were victims of sexual violence, as per the report by the Los Angeles Times.

(With inputs from agencies)

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