Andrew Tate And Brother Tristan Arrested In Romania On UK Warrant

Andrew Tate has been detained in Romania after an arrest warrant was issued by UK authorities following an investigation by Bedfordshire police, the Guardian understands.

The social media influencer, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate, 35, face charges including “sexual aggression” dating to 2012-15, according to a statement by his representative.

The representative said the pair were due before the Bucharest court of appeal on Tuesday for a decision on whether the European arrest warrant should be executed.

The Tate brothers were charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women in a separate case in Romania after being arrested in the country’s capital in December 2022 alongside two Romanian women. All four deny the allegations.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Tates’ representative said: “This bewildering revival of decade-old accusations has left the Tate brothers dismayed and deeply troubled. They categorically reject all charges and express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence.

“The Tate brothers assert that the timing and circumstances surrounding the reappearance of these allegations raise serious questions about the motives behind this legal action. The suggestion that Mr Tate’s rise to fame may have played a role in these developments adds another layer of distress and concern.”

The kickboxer’s representative said the pair “unequivocally deny all allegations”, and were “fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve”.

The statement added: “As the Bucharest court of appeal convenes today, the Tate brothers are still hopeful that the court will consider the broader implications of this case and its potential impact on justice and due process. They remain resolute in their pursuit of truth and justice, confident that the legal system will ultimately vindicate their innocence.”

The Tate brothers arrived in court on Tuesday morning for a hearing.

At least two British police forces are understood to have had an interest in Andrew Tate’s activities in the UK.

It is unclear which specific allegations the extradition request from the British authorities relate to.

Three women have previously spoken to Hertfordshire police, based just outside London, to make allegations. British prosecutors decided last year not to pursue their cases believing they were unlikely to get a conviction.

Hertfordshire police referred media inquiries about Tate on Tuesday to Bedfordshire police, who in turn declined to comment.

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service, which authorises criminal charges in England and Wales, confirmed that Hertfordshire police had submitted a file about potential charges after receiving allegations about Tate.

The spokesperson said specialist prosecutors had reviewed the case and informed the women in January 2023 that the case would not be pursued: “Rape is a devastating crime, and every case that comes to the CPS is dealt with by a specialist prosecutor in one of our dedicated rape and sexual offences units.

“In this case, we carefully reviewed all the evidence provided by the police regarding each complainant and concluded it did not meet our legal test, and there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.

“We sent a letter to each complainant explaining our decision not to charge.

“We acknowledge the bravery of everyone who comes forward and want them to be confident that their case will be prosecuted whenever our legal test is met.”