Romanian prosecutors have indicted Andrew Tate on charges including trafficking minors, money laundering, sex with a minor and witness tampering, while his brother Tristan faces a complicity charge.
Prosecutors allege that one victim was 15 when Andrew Tate met her in Britain in 2012, while the brothers allegedly retained $1.25 million from her videochat income and attempted to launder the funds.
The brothers deny wrongdoing, and the indictment must undergo preliminary judicial review in Romania before any trial can begin.
Romanian prosecutors brought a new indictment against social media influencer Andrew Tate on Friday, accusing him of trafficking minors, money laundering, sex with a minor and witness tampering, while charging his brother Tristan with complicity years after the investigation began. The move adds to the brothers’ legal troubles as they remain jailed in the United States while a judge decides on the request for their extradition to Britain, according to Reuters.
The Tate brothers, former kickboxers who hold US and British citizenship, were arrested in Miami in late July after Britain sought their extradition. They have lived mainly in Romania since 2017 and have been under a Romanian criminal probe since December 2022, including on human-trafficking allegations.
They now face legal pressure in three countries. In the US, a judge is weighing Britain’s extradition request, where the brothers are wanted on rape charges. In Romania, prosecutors have filed a fresh indictment that starts a separate court process, Reuters reported.
What Are Andrew And Tristan Tate Accused Of?
Prosecutors stated that the brothers seduced victims and falsely offered them a relationship or marriage before making them produce pornographic material for a webcam business.
One case involved a 15-year-old girl. DIICOT stated that Andrew Tate met her in Britain in 2012, brought her to Bucharest and used violence and mental pressure to sexually exploit her by forcing her to produce pornographic content for social media sites, as per Reuters.
Prosecutors said Tristan Tate acted as an accessory in that case, using physical aggression to coerce the victim. Prosecutors also said the brothers kept $1.25mn from the victim’s videochat income, or roughly 80% of her gains, and then tried to launder the money by buying four luxury cars.
What Happens After The Indictment?
The brothers deny wrongdoing. Eugen Vidineac, a Romanian lawyer for the Tates, said in a statement, "We will examine every aspect of (the indictment) with the same level of scrutiny and we will challenge any evidential, procedural or legal deficiencies through the appropriate judicial process."
He added, "Our clients continue to reject the allegations against them," as quoted by Reuters.
The next legal steps in Romania remain uncertain. A DIICOT spokesperson stated that it was not immediately clear whether the unit will seek extradition from the United States. Even so, the Tates can be tried in absentia in Romania, though the trial will not begin at once.
Under Romanian law, the indictment now goes to a preliminary court chamber, where a judge checks the case files for legality. The judge has 60 days to finalise that report, although such cases often take longer.
Prior Case History
This is not their first case in Romania. The brothers were previously indicted there on human-trafficking charges, but in late 2024 the Bucharest court of appeals sent that case back to prosecutors after ruling some evidence inadmissible.
Andrew Tate, who has called himself a misogynist, has said he relocated to Romania because he viewed law enforcement there as less strict. Both brothers built a following mostly among young men by cultivating a lavish, hyper-macho image centred on fast cars and dating beautiful women.
