Andrew Tate, a former social media influencer, received praise from a Romanian court despite being accused of human trafficking. Tate must stay in the European Union, but the nation is allowing him to leave its borders as of this Friday, July 5, according to the Associated Press.
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Recent Romania Ruling On Andrew Tate
The Bucharest Tribunal’s ruling to permit Tate, 37, to exit the nation was praised by Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, as a “significant victory and a major step forward” in the case. Eugen Vidineac, another of Tate’s attorneys, also voiced his opinion:
“We embrace and applaud the decision of the court today, I consider it a reflection of the exemplary behavior and assistance of my clients,” he said. Adding that the Tates are “still determined to clear their name and reputation.”
The Tates will be able to “pursue professional opportunities without restriction” thanks to their freedom of movement within the 27-nation EU bloc, according to Vidineac.
It’s unclear if the prosecution will or is able to appeal the court’s ruling. Tate, his brother Tristan, and two Romanian women were apprehended in the vicinity of Bucharest in the year 2022. All four were formally charged by Romanian prosecutors in June of last year, but they have all refuted the accusations.
Andrew responded to Friday’s ruling via social media, writing, “I AM FREE. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 3 YEARS I CAN LEAVE ROMANIA. THE SHAM CASE IS FALLING APART.”
Why Is Tate Locked Up?
For background, Andrew Tate is also accused of rape and of founding a criminal organization with the intention of abusing women sexually. The dual British-American citizen and former professional kickboxer was first detained by Romanian authorities in December 2022.
According to a statement released in May by McCue Jury & Partners, the law firm representing the four women, Andrew Tate was served with a civil lawsuit at his Romanian home by four British women following the issuance of a claim by the High Court in London. The four claim that in 2014 and 2015, they reported Tate to British authorities after he allegedly assaulted them physically and sexually. In 2019, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute him following a four-year investigation.
On the social media site X, Andrew Tate has accumulated 9.5 million followers. He has stated on numerous occasions that there is a political plot to silence him and that there is no evidence against him.
He had previously been barred from using a number of social media sites for allegedly using hate speech and expressing misogynistic opinions.
Tate’s trial, meanwhile, was authorized in April but has not yet been set for date. The United Kingdom intends to extradite the Tates to face comparable charges after his trial in Romania concludes.
The Tate brothers also made an appearance at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in March, for context. In a 2012–2015 U.K. case involving accusations of sexual aggression, British authorities issued arrest warrants.
Reporters Nicolae Dumitrache and Stephen McGrath of the Associated Press contributed to this story.
