Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother have flown to the United States, leaving Romania where they have been embroiled in a legal case on suspicion of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Romania's organized crime prosecution unit, DIICOT, said on February 27 that judges had lifted the detention order for the brothers, who hold British and American citizenship and were under house arrest on suspicion of a criminal case.
This unit did not provide details on why the travel ban was lifted, but the announcement comes after Romania's Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu, said that the brothers' case was raised earlier this month by Richard Grenell, US President Donald Trump's envoy for special missions.
Both Hurezeanu and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu have said they were not pressured by American officials to release the brothers.
The Romanian website BoardingPass said a private jet departed Bucharest early on February 27 for the United States. Local media, citing sources, said the Tate brothers were on board the plane.
"The request to amend the obligation not to leave Romania has been approved," prosecutors said in a statement, adding that all other obligations have been respected "including requests for control by judicial authorities whenever requested."
Legal cases against the Tate brothers
DIICOT has filed indictments against the Tate brothers and two Romanian women after they were arrested in December 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking.
The four suspects were formally indicted last year, and the Bucharest Court ruled last year that the trial could begin, but did not set a date for it to begin. All four defendants have denied the charges.
However, the Bucharest Court of Appeal on December 19 found “irregularities” in the indictment issued by the General Prosecutor’s Office and returned the case to prosecutors.
The court said prosecutors can now bring new evidence to support their charges or amend the existing indictment.
Andrew Tate, 38, has more than 10 million followers on the social network X, but has been banned from other platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, after allegations that he posted hate speech and misogynistic comments.
He has appealed the indictment, accusing prosecutors of attempting to "target everyone I know and have even issued a subpoena for the mother of my child" and claiming they have no evidence against him.
Andrew Tate was placed under house arrest in August and Tristan Tate was placed under the control of authorities for 30 days after they were questioned by Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors as part of an investigation into new charges against them.
During the criminal investigation, prosecutors said they identified seven women who were sexually exploited "forcibly, in order to obtain large financial benefits" for the defendants from people who had access to content on social networks.
Prosecutors have accused the Tate brothers of recruiting their victims, luring them and promising them relationships or marriage.
The victims were then taken to their properties on the outskirts of Bucharest, where they were sexually exploited through physical violence and psychological threats and forced to create pornographic content, prosecutors said.
Romanian investigators re-interrogated the Tate brothers and conducted new raids on their properties in connection with the new charges. DIICOT said at the time that the new charges include forming an organized group, trafficking minors, sexual acts with minors, making influential statements and money laundering.
They were prohibited from leaving Romania while the proceedings against them continued, but were expected to be extradited to Britain when the proceedings in Romania were concluded.
In Britain, they face additional charges of rape and human trafficking, a country where on December 18 a court ruled that police can seize $3.3 million to cover years of unpaid taxes.
The Tate brothers have previously said they do not want to be extradited from Romania, a country they consider their home./ REL (A2 Televizion)
A2 CNN Livestream
MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
