Andrew Tate indicted in Romania for trafficking minors, money laundering

What the report says

Romanian prosecutors have indicted Andrew Tate on charges including trafficking minors, sex with a minor and money laundering, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing the anti-organised crime agency DIICOT. Tristan Tate was also indicted in the same case, with prosecutors alleging he helped his brother recruit victims by posing as someone seeking a relationship or marriage before coercing them into producing sexual content for a webcam business.

The article says the case centres on allegations that the brothers used force, intimidation and manipulation against victims in Romania, including one woman who was 15 when prosecutors say she was brought from Britain to Bucharest. DIICOT also alleged that funds from the video chat work were kept by the brothers and later laundered through the purchase of luxury cars. Both men, through their lawyer, denied the accusations.

Al Jazeera reported that the indictment adds to the Tates’ wider legal troubles. The brothers, who are former kickboxers with large online followings, were arrested in Florida in late July after the United Kingdom sought their extradition on rape charges. Romanian authorities first opened an investigation into them in 2022, and the new indictment now moves to a preliminary court review. In general background, the case has drawn attention because Tate’s social media profile and controversial views have made him a prominent and polarising figure online.