Influencer Andrew Tate placed under house arrest in Romania amid new investigation

Tristan Tate (centre) was questioned by Romanian gendarmes after a ten-hour police raid on his home in Bucharest – Copyright AFP KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI

A Romanian court on Thursday placed controversial influencer Andrew Tate – who is already awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking and rape – under house arrest, a day after raiding his home as part of a new investigation involving minors.

One of the world's most famous influencers, known for his misogynistic and sometimes violent maxims, Tate, 37, was previously accused of forming an organised crime network in early 2021 in Romania and Britain, with his brother Tristan, 36. They have denied the accusations.

Prosecutors accuse the two men of running a criminal organization and sexually exploiting multiple victims. A trial date has not yet been set.

In a new case, American-born Briton Andrew Tate was placed under house arrest for 30 days, while his brother Tristan was placed under judicial supervision for 60 days, which requires him to appear regularly before the authorities, the Bucharest court said in a statement.

Andrew Tate dismissed the case as a “set-up.”

“I am clearly not a human trafficker… This is done on purpose and is aimed at inventing the most heinous crimes possible to defame our name,” he told reporters outside the court, flanked by his brother.

Prosecutors had requested that the two men be remanded in custody after police took them to the Organised Crime Bureau (DIICOT) for questioning on Wednesday.

Earlier Wednesday, their residence was searched as part of a “search related to a new investigation,” according to their spokesperson.

DIICOT said that four search warrants were executed in Bucharest and its surroundings in connection with “the crimes of forming an organized criminal group, trafficking in minors”, “sexual relations with a minor” and “money laundering”.

The Tate brothers were arrested in 2022 in Bucharest and spent three months in detention before being released on judicial supervision pending trial.

The brothers are also accused of rape and assault in separate cases in Britain, where they have also been charged with tax evasion.

In 2016, Tate appeared on the British reality TV show “Big Brother” but was removed after a video surfaced showing him attacking a woman.

He then took to social media to promote his divisive views.

By giving advice on how to succeed and sharing controversial views, his videos have made him one of the most famous influencers in the world.