Andrew Tate under criminal investigation
Florida's attorney general said on Tuesday that a criminal investigation has been opened into self-described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, who flew to the southern US state last week from Romania, where they faced rape and human trafficking charges.
"These guys have publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world," James Uthmeier said in comments posted online by a reporter with EW Scripps broadcasting.
"This is an ongoing criminal investigation and we're going to use every tool we have to ensure that justice is served," he said.
Tate arrived in the United States on Thursday – the first time he has been out of Romania since his 2022 arrest.
Prosecutors in the eastern European country allege that Tate, 38, his brother Tristan, 36, and two women set up a criminal organisation in Romania and Britain in early 2021 and sexually exploited several victims.
Tate, speaking to reporters after arriving in Fort Lauderdale last week, said he and his brother have "yet to be convicted of any crime in our lives ever."
"We live in a democratic society where it's innocent until proven guilty, and I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood," he said.
The government in Bucharest said the Tates, who have British and US nationalities and have been under judicial supervision in Romania, need to return to court on March 24, with a no-show potentially leading to "preventive arrest."
Four British women, who have accused Tate of rape and coercive control in a separate civil case in the United Kingdom, recently voiced concern that the US government would help the Tates escape.
In a joint statement, the four British women said they "feel retraumatised by the news that the Romanian authorities have given in to pressure from the Trump administration to allow Andrew Tate to travel." afp
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
Two British men convicted for stealing $6 million golden toilet from Blenheim Palace
Two British men have been convicted for their roles in the high-profile theft of a solid gold toilet, stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019. The toilet, worth £4.8 million (approximately $6.5 million), was part of a contemporary art exhibit and fully operational at the time it was taken. James Sheen and Michael Jones were found guilty after years of investigation, with police relying on digital evidence and forensic traces. Sheen, identified as the mastermind behind the burglary, had left DNA at the scene and shared an image of £520,000 in a duffel bag via text—believed to be proceeds from the sale of the gold. Jones, who was arrested earlier in 2025, was also linked to the crime by selfies he took with the toilet prior to the theft. During the trial, he admitted to using the golden fixture and described it as a 'splendid' experience. The toilet was removed in under six minutes after they booked an advance visit to scout the exhibit. Investigators cited a wealth of digital material, including over 30,000 pages of evidence. Messages, images, and DNA traces on a sledgehammer and in a stolen getaway car solidified their case. Authorities praised the coordination involved in bringing the suspects to justice after several years. 'This wealth of evidence ultimately enabled us to secure their convictions,' an officer stated during the trial.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Judge declares mistrial on Weinstein rape charge
The judge in the Harvey Weinstein sex crimes retrial declared a mistrial on the outstanding rape charge against the movie producer Thursday, after the jury foreperson refused to return to deliberate the case amid a jury room feud. In front of packed press and public benches in the 13th-floor New York courtroom, Judge Curtis Farber dismissed jurors who had been unable to reach a verdict on the charge that Weinstein raped Jessica Mann. "Deliberations became heated to such a degree I am obligated to declare a mistrial on the one count on which you didn't reach a verdict," Farber declared from the wood-paneled bench, wearing a robe and reading glasses. Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala had forcefully argued that a crime had been committed against one of the jurors, but the judge dismissed the claim. On Wednesday, the jury convicted Weinstein for sexual assault on Miriam Haley, and acquitted the fallen movie mogul for allegedly sexually assaulting Kaja Sokola. The defense vowed to appeal. The prosecutor brushed off the defense's claim that a retrial on the charge of raping Mann would exert unfair pressure on the alleged victim. "We will proceed to trial and that is what justice would be in this case," Nicole Blumberg said. Outside court, Aidala alleged that two jurors had indicated to his team that the panel had considered the cases of rapper Sean 'P Diddy' Combs and convicted child sex abuser R Kelly in their discussions. "(If) they say, 'Well, look at R Kelly. Look what's going on across the street with P Diddy'... That's not what you can do, and that's what we just heard happen," said the sharp-suited attorney. Combs is on trial at a nearby courthouse for alleged racketeering and other crimes, and the publicity of that case has largely eclipsed Weinstein's retrial. Weinstein, 73 and wheelchair-bound by ill-health, is already in jail for a 16-year term after he was convicted in a separate California case of raping a European actress more than a decade ago. Proceedings in New York have been dogged by personal issues between jurors, two of whom have privately complained to the judge about fellow panelists. The foreman had told judge Farber he could not continue after facing threats. "One other juror made comments to the effect 'I'll meet you outside one day'," the judge said Wednesday quoting the foreman, adding there was yelling between jurors. After Weinstein's lawyer demanded a mistrial over the jury rupture, Weinstein himself addressed the court Wednesday, deploying a commanding voice reminiscent of his Hollywood heyday. 'Intimidation' "We've heard threats, violence, intimidation - this is not right for me... the person who is on trial here," he said. The Oscar-winner's conviction on the Haley charge is a vindication for Haley whose complaint in part led to the initial guilty verdict in 2020. That landmark case helped spur the 'MeToo' movement that saw an outpouring of allegations from prominent women who were abused by men. Weinstein underwent a spectacular fall from his position at the top of the world of Hollywood and show business in 2017 when allegations against him exploded into public. The movement upended the film industry, exposing systemic exploitation of young women seeking to work in entertainment, and provoking a reckoning on how to end the toxic culture. More than 80 women accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct in the wake of the global backlash against men abusing positions of power. Weinstein's original 2020 conviction, and the resulting 23-year prison term, was thrown out last year after an appeals court found irregularities in the way witnesses were presented. afp
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Migrants flee N Ireland unrest
Fireworks thrown at Riot Police illuminate the road during a third night of anti-immigration demonstrations in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. Photo: AFP Foreign nationals hid in wardrobes and attics to escape a wave of unrest which has rocked a Northern Ireland town, police said Thursday, calling for the protests to end and warning rioters they would face arrest. "Stop this violence," said Northern Ireland police chief Jon Boutcher. "We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully." He was speaking after three nights of unrest in the town of Ballymena, some 30 miles (48 kilometres) northwest of Belfast. The clashes erupted on Monday night after two teenagers were arrested for the alleged attempted rape of a young girl at the weekend. Police have not confirmed the ethnicity of the teenagers, who remain in custody and had asked for a Romanian interpreter in court. After another barrage of petrol bombs, bricks and bottles, the crowds eventually dispersed late Wednesday without a repeat of the chaotic scenes seen on Monday and Tuesday when houses and businesses in areas where Romanian families live were torched. A total of 13 people have now been arrested, and 41 police officers injured, though most of the injuries are not severe. Three teenage boys aged 15, 17 and 18 were due to appear in court on Thursday having been charged with rioting, said police. Boutcher described the riots as "wanton, disgraceful criminal behaviour that is absolutely race motivated", speaking at a news conference Thursday. Police had helped evacuate foreign national families hiding in attics and wardrobes in their homes "even though they had done nothing wrong", he said. "They are not criminals. They contribute positively to society here and are well integrated," he added. Clonavon Road, where most of the riots happened in a neighbourhood known for having a large population of eastern Europeans, was almost deserted on Thursday. Many of the houses were damaged, and British, English or Northern Irish flags hung from most windows, AFP reporters saw. Some had signs saying they were Filipino residents.
