A Bucharest court has decided to proceed with the trial of Andrew Tate, an Anglo-American social media influencer who faces serious charges including rape, human trafficking, and forming a criminal gang to exploit women sexually.
At 37 years old, Tate, along with his brother Tristan, was arrested in December 2022. By June of the following year, they were formally charged, along with two Romanian women who are said to have been their accomplices. All parties involved have refuted the accusations leveled against them.
During the preliminary chamber stage, the Tate brothers contested the indictment. This past Friday, the Bucharest Tribunal confirmed that the trial would continue, although a specific date for the trial has not yet been established.
“The ruling issued by the preliminary chamber judge lacks legal basis and reasoning,” expressed Eugen Vidineac, representing the Tate brothers.
“We have filed a strong appeal as we believe the ruling to be unlawful.”
Further adding to the defense’s stance, another lawyer, Ioan Gliga, conveyed to AP:
“The arguments challenging the criminal investigation and the indictments did not receive the necessary attention in the preliminary hearing,”
but he remains optimistic that the appeals court will decide favorably for the Tates.
Following their initial three-month incarceration, the brothers were placed under house arrest. Since then, they have been permitted limited movement within Romania, although their request to travel throughout the European Union was denied.
In a related development last month, Romania consented to extradite the Tates to the UK regarding charges of “sexual aggression” that allegedly occurred between 2012 and 2015. This extradition, however, is contingent on the completion of the ongoing legal proceedings in Romania.
