Latest news with #OCCRP
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Andrew Tate's ‘Golden Passport' faces revocation in fresh blow; Here's what we know
Andrew Tate's 'golden passport' will be soon revoked as the Vanuatuan government is looking into prospects of removing his passport that he bought to receive the South Pacific island nation's "manosphere" influencer citizenship. In the United Kingdom, Tate is accused of rape, human trafficking, and regulating prostitution, while he is accused of rape and human trafficking in Romania. Tate has refuted all the charges levelled against him. The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) reported that he bought a passport for citizenship in Vanuatu in 2022, and he was charged around the same time in Romania. The government of Vanuatu is currently investigating the purchase of his passport. Speaking to ABC News, Vanuatu authorities' spokesperson Kiery Manassah stated: 'Once we have the files, definitely, the processes will be in place to revoke his citizenship. The government does not want to encourage people of questionable backgrounds to be granted citizenship.'
BBC News
4 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Vanuatu looks into revoking Andrew Tate's golden passport
Vanuatu authorities are looking at revoking Andrew Tate's citizenship after it was revealed that he acquired a golden passport at around the same time as his 2022 arrest in Romania for rape and human trafficking. The self-described misogynist influencer acquired citizenship under a fast-track scheme for those who invest at least $130,000 (£96,000) in the tiny Pacific archipelago, according to an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. The scheme has raised security concerns, and led the European Union to revoke Vanuatu's visa-free privilege in late 2024. A Vanuatu government spokesman said authorities were "definitely looking into" Tate's citizenship. "Once we have the files, definitely, the processes will be in place to revoke his citizenship," Kiery Manassah told ABC News. "The government does not want to encourage people of questionable backgrounds to be granted citizenship," he added. "Those who are wanted by their countries or who are investigated by police authorities from overseas are not welcome to be part of the citizens of Vanuatu." Passports-for-sale or citizenship by investment schemes are a source of income for countries like Vanuatu. But they have also been abused by organised crime suspects, oligarchs and even intelligence agents, said Aubrey Belford, Pacific lead editor at OCCRP. "It's caused a lot of alarm because it's one of those loopholes that allows people to get a new passport or even a new identity and be able to evade law enforcement," Belford told ABC News. Vanuatu granted Tate citizenship in December 2022. That same month, Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested in Romania and have since largely been under travel restrictions in the country. Vanuatu does not have a formal extradition treaty with Romania. It is unclear if Tristan Tate also acquired Vanuatu citizenship. In recent years, Andrew Tate has built a massive online presence, including more than 10 million followers on X, sharing his lifestyle of fast cars, private jets and yachts. He has also gained global notoriety for his views towards women, proudly proclaiming himself a "misogynist" and also using extreme language relating to acts of violence against women. He has also been singled out for the effect he has had in spreading misogyny online among boys and young men by authorities in the UK. The Tate brothers were both born in the US but moved to Luton in the UK with their mother after their parents divorced. They have denied allegations of criminal wrongdoing. Separately, the UK is seeking their extradition from Romania after they were charged in 2024 of rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking. Lawyers for the brothers have said that they will return to the UK to face those charges, that stemmed from allegation between 2012 and 2015. A Romanian court has ruled that the brothers could be extradited to the UK following the end of any trial there.
Roya News
8 hours ago
- Business
- Roya News
Vanuatu considers stripping Andrew Tate of golden passport
Vanuatu's government is reviewing the citizenship status of influencer Andrew Tate after revelations surfaced that he secured a 'golden passport' from the Pacific island nation just as he was being arrested in Romania on serious criminal charges. Tate, a controversial online figure known for his self-declared misogyny and luxurious lifestyle, was granted Vanuatu citizenship in December 2022 under a fast-track program for foreign investors. At the time, he and his brother Tristan were taken into custody in Romania on accusations of rape and human trafficking—allegations they continue to deny. The passport program, which allows individuals to acquire Vanuatu nationality by investing at least USD 130,000 in the country, has drawn scrutiny for its security vulnerabilities. In late 2024, the European Union revoked Vanuatu's visa-free travel privileges, citing concerns that the scheme could be exploited by individuals with criminal backgrounds. A Vanuatu government spokesperson confirmed the matter is under active review. 'Once we have the files, definitely, the processes will be in place to revoke his citizenship,' said Kiery Manassah, speaking to ABC News. 'The government does not want to encourage people of questionable backgrounds to be granted citizenship,' he added. 'Those who are wanted by their countries or who are investigated by police authorities from overseas are not welcome to be part of the citizens of Vanuatu.' An investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed the timing of Tate's citizenship application coincided with his arrest, raising concerns about how such programs are monitored. 'It's caused a lot of alarm because it's one of those loopholes that allows people to get a new passport or even a new identity and be able to evade law enforcement,' said Aubrey Belford, Pacific lead editor at OCCRP. Vanuatu, which does not have an extradition treaty with Romania, issued the passport to Tate in the same month he was detained in Europe. It remains unclear whether Tristan Tate also obtained citizenship through the same route. Beyond his legal issues, Andrew Tate has amassed millions of followers online by flaunting wealth and espousing toxic ideologies, particularly targeting women. His digital influence has alarmed educators and government bodies, including those in the UK, for encouraging misogynistic attitudes among boys and young men. Both brothers were born in the US and raised in the UK, where authorities are now pursuing their extradition on separate charges filed in 2024, including rape, human trafficking, and assault related to incidents from 2012 to 2015. Their legal team has said they will face the UK charges once the Romanian judicial process concludes. A Romanian court has ruled that extradition to the UK may proceed following any trial there.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Andrew Tate: Vanuatu looks into revoking his golden passport
Vanuatu authorities are looking at revoking Andrew Tate's citizenship after it was revealed that he acquired a golden passport at around the same time as his 2022 arrest in Romania for rape and human self-described misogynist influencer acquired citizenship under a fast-track scheme for those who invest at least $130,000 (£96,000) in the tiny Pacific archipelago, according to an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting scheme has raised security concerns, and led the European Union to revoke Vanuatu's visa-free privilege in late 2024.A Vanuatu government spokesman said authorities were "definitely looking into" Tate's citizenship. "Once we have the files, definitely, the processes will be in place to revoke his citizenship," Kiery Manassah told ABC News."The government does not want to encourage people of questionable backgrounds to be granted citizenship," he added. "Those who are wanted by their countries or who are investigated by police authorities from overseas are not welcome to be part of the citizens of Vanuatu."Passports-for-sale or citizenship by investment schemes are a source of income for countries like Vanuatu. But they have also been abused by organised crime suspects, oligarchs and even intelligence agents, said Aubrey Belford, Pacific lead editor at OCCRP."It's caused a lot of alarm because it's one of those loopholes that allows people to get a new passport or even a new identity and be able to evade law enforcement," Belford told ABC granted Tate citizenship in December 2022. That same month, Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested in Romania and have since largely been under travel restrictions in the does not have a formal extradition treaty with is unclear if Tristan Tate also acquired Vanuatu citizenship. In recent years, Andrew Tate has built a massive online presence, including more than 10 million followers on X, sharing his lifestyle of fast cars, private jets and has also gained global notoriety for his views towards women, proudly proclaiming himself a "misogynist" and also using extreme language relating to acts of violence against has also been singled out for the effect he has had in spreading misogyny online among boys and young men by authorities in the Tate brothers were both born in the US but moved to Luton in the UK with their mother after their parents have denied allegations of criminal the UK is seeking their extradition from Romania after they were charged in 2024 of rape, actual bodily harm and human for the brothers have said that they will return to the UK to face those charges, that stemmed from allegation between 2012 and 2015.A Romanian court has ruled that the brothers could be extradited to the UK following the end of any trial there.
RNZ News
19 hours ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Vanuatu to review citizenship after Andrew Tate reportedly bought 'golden passport'
Andrew Tate talks to reporters outside the Court of Appeal on October 15, 2024 in Bucharest, Romania. Photo:via CNN Newsource By Vanuatu reporter Lillyrose Welwel , Max Walden and Doug Dingwall of ABC Vanuatu says it is looking to revoke citizenship granted to misogynist influencer Andrew Tate after it was revealed he allegedly received a Vanuatu passport around the time of his arrest in Romania on charges of rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women. Mr Tate reportedly purchased a fast-tracked Vanuatu passport through the country's so-called Development Support Program, under which applicants can be granted citizenship for a minimum investment of $US$130,000 (AU$201,000). The passport was granted in December 2022, the same month of Tate's arrest in Romania, according to an investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a non-profit organisation headquartered in Amsterdam. There was no indication that Mr Tate's brother Tristan, who was also arrested in 2022, had received Vanuatu citizenship, its report said. Vanuatu government spokesperson Kiery Manassah told the ABC it was investigating the matter. "We're definitely looking into it and once we have the files, definitely the processes will be in place to revoke his citizenship," he said. The government definitely does not want to encourage people of questionable backgrounds to be granted citizenship. "Of course, those that are wanted by their country or are being investigated by police authorities from overseas are not wanted, not welcome to be part of the citizenship of Vanuatu." OCCRP's lead editor for the Pacific, Aubrey Belford, said they had been investigating golden passports in Vanuatu when they came across the name Emory Andrew Tate. They then worked to establish it was the same person as the online influencer. "The [golden passport] system has been abused by oligarchs, organised criminals, intelligence agents, and it's caused a lot of alarm because it's one of these loopholes that allows people to get a new passport or even a new identity and be able to evade law enforcement," he told the ABC . The Tate revelations are the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the lucrative citizenship-by-investment scheme that have led to both the European Union and the United Kingdom removing Vanuatu's visa-free travel status . Then-British home secretary Suella Braverman said in 2023 that close consideration of Vanuatu's golden passports had revealed "clear and evident abuse of the scheme, including the granting of citizenship to individuals known to pose a risk to the UK". Last month prosecutors in the UK brought charges of rape, actual bodily harm and human trafficking against both Andrew and Tristan Tate, relating to alleged offences that took place between 2012 and 2015. Andrew Tate faces the additional offence of controlling prostitution for gain. The brothers, who are both citizens of the US and UK, deny all allegations brought by Romanian and British prosecutors. Port Vila Council of Women president Jane Iatika said individuals with reputations like that of Mr Tate should not be issued Vanuatu passports. "[They] will teach the other males here in Vanuatu to do the same thing," she told the ABC . "It's better that we review everyone's information before we give out the passports or citizenships to people like that." Photo: 123rf Jotham Napat, who became Vanuatu's prime minister earlier this year, has vowed to reform the troubled economic citizenship program, which is one of the government's major sources of revenue. Earlier this year it was revealed that Vanuatu provided a golden passport to fugitive Indian ex-cricket boss Lalit Modi , who applied to officially renounce his Indian citizenship after acquiring citizenship of the Pacific nation. OCCRP's Belford said that Vanuatu granted golden passports "because it's a nice little money maker". For a small country like Vanuatu it's very tempting to accept that money, especially since most of the people who will get a Vanuatu passport will never set foot in Vanuatu. Documents from the International Monetary Fund show the scheme provided about 9 per cent of Vanuatu's government revenue in 2024 - down from 33 per cent in 2020. Mr Manassah, the government spokesperson, said the Tate case was a "lapse" in the scheme but that the government would make changes to improve background checks and close loopholes exploited by some applicants to gain citizenship. "The government needs to tighten it," he said. "These are things that will take time, especially to put back the confidence and the credibility of our travelling documents." - ABC
