Tate Brothers Officially Indicted on Trafficking and Sex Crime Charges in Romania

Romanian prosecutors have formally indicted social media personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate over allegations including human trafficking, money laundering and sexual offences.

According to Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Crime and Terrorism, Andrew Tate is accused of trafficking a minor, money laundering and having sex with a minor. Tristan Tate faces charges of complicity in trafficking a minor and money laundering.

Prosecutors allege that Andrew Tate exploited a girl who was 15 at the time of the alleged offences, coercing her into performing sexual acts during video chats for financial gain. They claim she was recruited and housed in Luton, Bedfordshire, before later being moved to Romania.

Investigators allege that Andrew controlled the girl through surveillance and physical aggression and continued exploiting her at properties he owned in Romania. Tristan is accused of assisting in the alleged trafficking and using physical aggression to help coerce the victim.

Andrew also faces a separate allegation involving sexual activity with a 15-year-old in Romania.

Prosecutors say the alleged activities generated more than $1.2 million. They have also requested the confiscation of four luxury vehicles belonging to the brothers, valued at around £710,000, claiming they may have been purchased using laundered money.

The Tate brothers, former professional kickboxers who hold both US and British citizenship, have denied all allegations against them.

The brothers have been under investigation in Romania since December 2022, after spending much of their time in the country since 2017. They gained a large online following, particularly among young men, through content centred on wealth, masculinity and controversial views about women.

The latest indictment follows an earlier Romanian trafficking case involving the brothers. In 2024, an appeals court in Bucharest returned that case to prosecutors after ruling that some evidence was inadmissible.

It remains unclear whether Romanian authorities will seek to extradite Andrew and Tristan Tate from the United States over the new indictment. The brothers are currently in Miami fighting extradition to the United Kingdom over separate allegations.

The latest Romanian indictment must also be reviewed by a judge before the case can proceed to trial.

Their Romanian lawyer, Eugen Constantin Vidineac, said the indictment does not establish guilt and argued that the brothers continue to have the right to challenge the prosecution’s evidence and procedures.

He said the defence would examine the new case carefully and challenge any legal, procedural or evidential shortcomings through the courts.

The lawyer also pointed to the previous indictment, which he said had failed to proceed to trial after judicial scrutiny identified significant irregularities.

The brothers continue to reject the allegations and maintain that their controversial online personas do not reflect their private personalities.

As the legal process moves forward, the Romanian courts will determine whether the prosecution has presented sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial.