Romanian prosecutors indict Tate brothers for trafficking minors, laundering charges

Andrew Tate, a social media influencer with dual US and British citizenship, has been officially indicted by Romanian prosecutors for trafficking minors, money laundering, sex with a minor, and witness tampering. His brother Tristan Tate, 38, was also indicted for complicity in the case. The indictment alleges that the brothers recruited their victims by seducing them and falsely claiming to want a relationship or marriage, before forcing them to produce pornographic content for a webcam business. According to prosecutors, one of the victims was a 15-year-old girl from Britain who was coerced into producing sex acts on video chats, earning the brothers over $1.2 million.

The indictment is part of an ongoing investigation that began in December 2022, and the brothers have been under criminal investigation in Romania since then. They were arrested in Miami in July after Britain requested their extradition on rape charges. The Tates have denied all wrongdoing, with a Romanian lawyer for the brothers stating that they will challenge any evidential or procedural deficiencies through the appropriate judicial process.

The indictment has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation, particularly given the alleged exploitation of vulnerable young women by the brothers' online presence, which included misogynistic messages and images of a luxury lifestyle. The case is ongoing, with the Tates currently in a Miami jail fighting extradition to the UK over separate charges.