CONTROVERSIAL kick-boxer Andrew Tate has been placed on house arrest in a shocking turn over fresh allegations including trafficking and sex with a minor.
His brother Tristan has meanwhile been freed after the pair was detained and grilled overnight on Wednesday as Romanian cops swooped on four properties in Bucharest and Ilfov county for searches.
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There are allegations that a seventeen-year-old girl was forced to “perform sexual acts in order to produce pornographic material” after being trafficked to Britain, prompting an investigation against the Tate brothers.
Romanian police also claim that starting in December 2020, the defendant engaged in “sexual relations” with a 15-year-old.
A Tate spokesperson has exclusively told The Sun that Andrew is under house arrest for 30 days, while his brother Tristan was freed.
Andrew had been allowed to travel within Romania prior to his arrest.
The spokesperson said: “Andrew Tate has been placed under house arrest and his brother, Tristan under judiciary control in a decision issued by the judge at the Tribunal of Bucharest, today August 22nd, at 19.30.
“DIICOT had placed a request for 30 days preventive arrest for both brothers, but the judge has denied the request given the brothers’ behaviour while previously under preventative measures.
“The Tates salute the decision and firmly deny all allegations leveled against them, emphasising that the accusations are baseless and unsupported by substantial evidence.
“They will continue to comply with the due course of justice and remain steadfast in proving their innocence.”
The measures against Tristan Tate, including whether he can’t leave Romania or the Bucharest area, are not yet clear.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) said they were investigating the brothers over alleged trafficking of minors, human trafficking, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements and money laundering.
The elite unit of cops had the power to detain them for 24 hours – following that, a judge needed to sign off on a preventative arrest, putting them behind bars for a further 30 days.
The Tate brothers are being investigated amid claims a 17-year-old girl was trafficked to Britain and forced to “perform sexual acts in order to produce pornographic material”.
The Romanian Directorate for the Investigation of Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) on Thursday announced one of the alleged victims, 17, was “misled” and housed in several locations across both Romania and the UK.
It’s alleged she was forced to perform sexual acts, before pornographic material was sent out on various websites.
Romanian cops also allege a defendant had “sexual relations” with a 15-year-old from December 2020.
Two defendants are accused by prosecutors of buying luxury cars “in the names of close people” to hide how they were making profits from human trafficking, authorities say.
They allegedly used the “loverboy” method, getting girls to become infatuated with them before then recruiting them and moving them around different houses to make porn.
It would then be broadcast on multiple platform with viewers paying a fee, it’s alleged.
The Romanian authorities say there are a total of 34 alleged victims who were all in an “obvious state of vulnerability”.
Prosecutors claim the defendants profited $2.8million (£2.1million) “from the sexual exploitation of the victims”.
Since initially being arrested in December 2022, the Tate brothers have vehemently denied all allegations levelled against them.
Andrew believes they are being targeted by “The Matrix” – what he describes as an establishment that punishes those who step out of line.
The former kick-boxer shot to fame projecting an ultra-masculine persona to social media.
The self-proclaimed misogynist, 37, is a divisive figure who infamously said that women should “bear responsibility” for being sexually assaulted.
He was banned on multiple social media platforms but recently made a comeback on X, where he has nearly 10million followers.
He has vehemently denied wrongdoing alongside Tristan, 36, since an initial arrest in 2022, instead claiming they are victims of what Andrew calls “The Matrix”.
The Matrix, he says, works to silence anyone who steps out of line with the so-called establishment.
It’s alleged they would pretend to fall in love with women, later forcing them work for their business and perform sex acts on camera.
But Andrew told reporters prosecutors were “desperate” as he was forced into a police van Wednesday night.
A Bucharest court recently banned the brothers from leaving Romania while they await a trafficking trial.
That overturned a previous decision in July which allowed them to travel within the EU.
A date for the trial is yet to be set.
The dual British-US citizens, raised in Luton, are also wanted in the UK after four women accused them of rape and sexual assault.
The Bucharest appeals court has granted a British request to extradite them back to the UK after legal proceedings in Romania wind up.
Dramatic footage on Wednesday captured DIICOT cops breaking into the Tate residence after climbing onto the roof.
According to X page Tate News, the brothers installed “highly bulletproof doors” – but the police came prepared.
Masked cops lurk outside the home before holding a ladder up against a wall, allowing officers to climb up onto the roof of the first floor.
From there, they are able to walk up to a window from the second floor, finding a way to break into the building.
Aside from laying arrests, launching searches and slapping the brothers with a series of charges, Romanian authorities had previously seized the brothers’ prized luxury car collection.
TATE ARREST TIMELINE
ANDREW and Tristan Tate were arrested in December 2022 and later charged with human trafficking, rape, and forming an organised crime group to sexually exploit women.
Here is a timeline of everything that’s happened since they were nicked:
DECEMBER 29, 2022: The brothers are detained in Romania for 30 days, along with two women, on suspicion of human trafficking, rape, and forming an organised crime group.
JANUARY 3, 2023: Romanian authorities seize Andrew’s luxury car collection.
JAN 8, 2023: A cryptic tweet is posted to Andrew Tate’s account which reads: “The Matrix has attacked me. But they misunderstand, you cannot kill an idea. Hard to Kill.”
JAN 10, 2023: Andrew appears in court in Bucharest to appeal his detention but the judge rules against him.
MARCH 31, 2023: The Bucharest Court of Appeal rules against a judge’s decision to extend Andrew’s incarceration for a fourth time; Andrew is placed on house arrest.
JUNE 20, 2023: The brothers are formally charged with human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
JULY 13, 2023: The Tates launch a $5million lawsuit against a Florida woman who they say falsely accused them of imprisoning her in Romania – which led to their arrest there on human trafficking charges.
AUGUST 4, 2023: Andrew wins an appeal to be released from house arrest in Romania as he awaits trial on charges of human trafficking.
DECEMBER 11, 2023: A judge denies the Tate brothers’ appeals to have £10million worth of assets returned to them.
JANUARY 8, 2024: The Bucharest Court of Appeal overturns the decision; the brothers are to have their assets returned to them.
MARCH 12, 2024: Both brothers are arrested in Romania over allegations of sexual aggression in the UK that date back to 2012 and 2015. They deny the allegations.
MARCH 22, 2024: The brothers lost their appeal to get back £10million worth of assets seized by cops.
APRIL 26, 2024: A Romanian court rules that Andrew and Tristan will face trail over ongoing probe into rape and human trafficking.
JULY 5, 2024: Courts rule that Andrew and Tristan can leave Romania – but must stay in the EU
In March, they attempted to regain £10million worth of assets taken by cops – but failed.
A post from Andrew’s X account on Wednesday said: “The Matrix is real.
“And they have a tried and true playbook. Slander is their number one tool and the process is the punishment.
“But unfortunately for them, Good always wins in the end.”
A DIICOT statement on the raids on the brothers’ property said: “The prosecutors of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organised Crime and Terrorism – Central Structure together with police officers from the Ilfov Organised Crime Service have implemented four home search warrants within the Ilfov county and the Bucharest municipality.”
A spokesman for Tate earlier told The Sun: “DIICOT conducted a raid this morning, on August 21, 2024, at the residence of the Tate brothers as part of a search related to a new investigation.
“Although the charges in the search warrant are not yet fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering.
“Their legal team is present to ensure that all formalities are carried out correctly.”
The spokesperson did not address the allegations concerning minors.
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