Andrew Tate, brother, face rape, human trafficking charges in Romania

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate are facing charges in Romania.

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The nation’s anti-organized crime agency - DIICOT - said that the brothers were indicted for rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women, The Associated Press reported.

The agency said that the brothers, along with two women from Romania formed the gang in 2001 “in order to commit the crime of human trafficking” in Romania, the U.S. and the U.K.

They were arrested in December and were kept in custody because they were considered a flight risk, The Washington Post reported. They were transferred to house arrest in March.

The Tates’ legal team said the charges were “undoubtedly predictable,” and “we embrace the opportunity it presents to demonstrate their innocence and vindicate their reputation,” the newspaper reported.

“The indictment now allows us to present a comprehensive body of evidence, diligently collected and prepared over time, which will undoubtedly substantiate the brothers’ claims of innocence,” the statement to the Post added.

Prosecutors said that the group misled and transported seven women to Romania where they were sexually exploited and physically abused, the AP reported.

The woman said they were recruited with lies of love and were taken to Romania, forced to participate in porn, and controlled by “intimidation, constant surveillance.”

Andrew Tate is a former professional kickboxer. He calls himself the “webcam kingpin” and has a large following on Twitter with more than 6 million fans. He had been banned from several social media platforms for hate speech and sharing misogynistic views - allegations he denies.

He lives in Romania but has dual citizenship in the U.K. and the U.S. He said that the case brought against him is a political conspiracy to silence him, the AP reported.

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