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BBC News
2 days 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.
BBC News
2 days 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.
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- The Guardian
UK-based people smuggler in Mediterranean network jailed for 25 years
A people smuggler based in the UK who helped to 'ruthlessly and cynically' exploit people seeking asylum as part of a £12m Mediterranean operation has been jailed for 25 years. Ahmed Ebid, 42, helped bring nearly 3,800 migrants, including women and children, on just seven fishing boat crossings from north Africa to Italy between October 2022 and June 2023, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. Some eventually made it to the UK. Ebid, an Egyptian national, told an associate to kill and throw into the sea any migrants caught with phones, in a bid to avoid law enforcement, the NCA said. While directing operations in Libya, he was living 2,500 miles away in Isleworth, south-west London. The defendant, who is believed to be the first person convicted of organising boat crossings across the Mediterranean from the UK, was sentenced at Southwark crown court on Tuesday to 25 years, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration. Judge Adam Hiddleston said Ebid had a 'significant managerial role within an organised crime group' and his 'primary motivation was to make money out of human trafficking'. The judge told Ebid the 'conspiracy that you were a part of generated millions of pounds' and that he must have been a 'beneficiary' of 'a significant amount'. The 'truly staggering' amount of money came from the 'hard-earned savings of desperate individuals', who were 'ruthlessly and cynically exploited' by Ebid and the crime group, Hiddleston said. Ebid arrived in the UK in October 2022 after crossing the Channel in a small boat, having been sentenced in Italy in 2017 to six years and two months in prison for drug smuggling. Soon after, he began arranging the operations in the Mediterranean. He was working with people smuggling networks to organise boats, bringing over hundreds of people at a time on extremely dangerous vessels from Libya and advertising the crossings on Facebook. Ebid sourced and provided boats and crews, provided technical advice during the crossings, helped house migrants and dealt with any required paperwork, prosecutors said. In one conversation with an associate, recorded via a listening device planted by NCA officers, he said migrants were not to carry phones with them on his boats. He said: 'Tell them guys anyone caught with a phone will be killed, threw in the sea.' On one crossing, on 25 October 2022, more than 640 migrants were rescued by the Italian authorities after they attempted to cross in a wooden boat, the NCA said. It was taken into port in Sicily and two bodies were recovered. In another, 265 people were rescued by the Italian coastguard from a 20-metre fishing boat found adrift in the Mediterranean in early December 2022 after it left Benghazi. Two search and rescue operations took place in April 2023 after distress calls to the coastguard, and in each case more than 600 migrants were onboard the boats, the NCA said. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Ebid helped with at least seven crossings, which carried 3,781 people into Italian waters. Each migrant had been charged an average of about £3,200, netting those involved £12.3m, the NCA said. Ebid was detained in Isleworth in June 2023 after the NCA, along with the Italian Guardia di Finanza police force and coastguard, linked him to the crossings. On a phone seized from him, investigators found pictures of boats, conversations about the possible purchase of vessels, videos of migrants making the journey and screenshots of money transfers. Tim Burton, a specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Ahmed Ebid played a leading role in a sophisticated operation, which breached immigration laws and endangered lives, for his own and others' financial gain. 'Vulnerable people were transported on long sea journeys in ill-equipped fishing vessels completely unsuitable for carrying the large number of passengers who were onboard. 'His repeated involvement in helping to facilitate these dangerous crossings showed a complete disregard for the safety of thousands of people, whose lives were put at serious risk.' Jacque Beer of the NCA said: 'Ebid was part of a crime network who preyed upon the desperation of migrants to ship them across the Mediterranean in death trap boats. 'The cruel nature of his business was demonstrated by the callous way he spoke of throwing migrants into the sea if they didn't follow his rules. To him they were just a source of profit. 'He was based in the UK but organising crossings from north Africa. A proportion of those he moved to Italy would also have ended up in northern Europe, attempting to cross the Channel to the UK.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Six men charged following dawn raids in Glasgow
Six men have been charged in connection with a major investigation into violent incidents in the east and west of Scotland. Officers from the Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit working with firearms officers arrested the men in the Glasgow and Wishaw on Friday. The men, aged 57, 42, 36, 31, and two 26-year-olds, are expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday. A total of 32 arrests have now been made during the investigation across the west and east of Scotland and police say "extensive" inquiries are ongoing.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- BBC News
Six men charged following dawn raids in Glasgow
Six men have been charged in connection with a major investigation into violent incidents in the east and west of from the Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit working with firearms officers arrested the men in the Glasgow area on men, aged 57, 42, 36, 31, and two 26-year-olds, are expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Monday.A total of 32 arrests have now been made during the investigation across the west and east of Scotland and police say "extensive" inquiries are ongoing.
