Andrew Tate, an American-British masculinist influencer based in Romania and accused of human trafficking and rape, is no longer under house arrest. His brother Tristan and accomplices, arrested at the same time as him, are also affected by this less restrictive measure, valid “for a period of 60 days, from August 4, 2023 to October 2, 2023 inclusive”, pending a trial, wrote the Bucharest Court of Appeal.
During this period, these men must report to the police and not leave the Bucharest region without the agreement of the judge. Arrested at the end of December, the Tate brothers spent three months in pre-trial detention before being subjected to these conditions which they contested on several occasions. The trial date has not yet been set.
Women forced to act in porn movies
The brothers moved to Romania several years ago and are believed to have formed a network in early 2021 in the Eastern European country, as well as in the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to the 370-page prosecution case, seven victims were tricked by the Tates into feigning feelings for them (the so-called “loverboy method”), before being coerced “through acts of physical violence and of psychological coercion” to the production of pornographic films. The videos were then broadcast on platforms, allowing members of the network to derive “significant financial benefits”, according to the prosecution.
A former reality TV candidate known for his misogyny
Andrew Tate first rose to fame when he appeared on the UK reality show Big Brother in 2016. He was quickly eliminated after a video emerged showing him hitting a woman.
This former kickboxing champion then turned to social networks where he shows off muscles, cigars and luxury cars, not without success with millions of teenagers who follow him. He promotes masculinist theses and gives advice to men to help them become rich.