Andrew Tate indicted in Romania on charges of trafficking minors and money laundering
Romanian prosecutors have indicted Andrew Tate on charges of trafficking minors, sex with a minor, and money laundering. His brother Tristan faces complicity charges in the same case.
Romanian prosecutors indict Andrew and Tristan Tate over minor trafficking and webcam exploitation
Romanian prosecutors have formally indicted social media influencer Andrew Tate, 39, on charges of trafficking minors, sex with a minor, and money laundering, bostonherald.com reports, citing an announcement from DIICOT, Romania's anti-organised crime agency.
Tristan Tate, 38, has been indicted on a charge of complicity in the same case. The brothers, dual US-British citizens originally from Luton, England, were first arrested in Bucharest in late 2022.
DIICOT alleges the brothers used what British authorities have described in separate court documents as a "lover boy" model — posing as romantic partners before coercing victims into producing pornographic material for an online webcam business.
A 15-year-old recruited in Luton
According to the indictment, the brothers recruited a 15-year-old girl in Luton in 2012 and subsequently transported her repeatedly to Romania. DIICOT alleges the brothers obtained more than $1.2 million from her webcam activity over the following years.
The agency further alleges that Tristan Tate was aware of the victim's age and that, between 2014 and 2021, he knowingly deceived her about Andrew's "feelings and intentions" in order to facilitate her sexual exploitation.
A separate allegation concerns Andrew Tate directly: DIICOT claims that between December 2020 and mid-2021, he "repeatedly had sexual intercourse and sexual acts with another minor victim," also aged 15.
Money laundering through luxury cars
The indictment also covers an alleged attempt to conceal the proceeds of human trafficking. Between December 2023 and July 2024, DIICOT alleges the Tates sought to "hide or disguise the illicit origin of the money" by purchasing four luxury cars valued at approximately 825,000 euros (around $957,000). The agency said it had requested the vehicles be confiscated.
Legal background
The current indictment stems from the same investigation that led to the brothers' 2022 arrest and their first formal indictment in 2023. A Romanian court returned that earlier case to DIICOT in 2024 due to what it described as multiple legal and procedural irregularities on the part of prosecutors. The case was not closed, and a separate legal proceeding against the brothers was also active in Romania in 2024.
Both men have consistently denied all allegations. Andrew Tate has claimed the prosecutions form part of a political conspiracy to silence them. A lawyer for the brothers in Romania did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Miami detention and UK extradition battle
The Tates are currently held in Miami after prosecutors in the United Kingdom requested their extradition in July on sex crimes allegations. Last week, both brothers took the stand in federal court, arguing they cannot adequately defend themselves against criminal charges while detained in a Miami jail and simultaneously fighting extradition to the UK.
Their lawyers have maintained that the UK's extradition request is procedurally improper, given that the Romanian criminal case takes precedence. Romanian authorities had previously permitted the Tates to remain free under restrictions — including regular reporting to a Bucharest police station — while proceedings were ongoing.
DIICOT also alleges in the new indictment that victims had been paid or threatened in attempts to persuade them "not to give statements or to give false statements."
The Tates are among the most widely discussed figures on social media, having built a large following by promoting wealth, male dominance, and what critics describe as misogyny.
Source: Sky News