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By Euronews with AP, AFP
The Tate brothers, aged 34 and 36, are charged with multiple counts of human trafficking and rape in Romania.
Controversial online influencer Andrew Tate has been released from house arrest in Romania pending his trial for human trafficking, and placed under judicial supervision.
The Bucharest Court of Appeal made the ruling on Friday.
Tate’s brother Tristan, and other alleged accomplices, are also subject to the new conditions, which are valid for a period of 60 days until early October.
During this period, the brothers, aged 36 and 34 respectively, must report regularly to the police and are not allowed to leave the Bucharest area, where they are charged with human trafficking and rape, without the judge’s consent.
They are also not allowed to meet the two Romanian women co-accused in the case.
Arrested at the end of December, the Tate brothers spent three months in pre-trial detention before being subjected to house arrest, which they have repeatedly contested.
So far, no date for a trial has been set.
What is the background to this case?
The Tate brothers, who are dual British and American citizens, moved to Romania several years ago and are suspected of having set up a trafficking network in early 2021 in Romania as well as in the USA and the UK.
According to the 370-page indictment file, seven victims were tricked by the Tates, who simulated feelings for them, before being forced “through acts of physical violence and psychological coercion” to produce pornographic films.
The videos were then distributed on online platforms, enabling members of the network to reap “significant financial rewards”, according to the public prosecutor’s office.
Andrew Tate first came to prominence as a contestant on the UK reality show Big Brother in 2016. He was quickly eliminated after the broadcast of a video showing him punching a woman.
This former kickboxing champion, who has 7.2 million followers on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, then turned to social networks, where he shows off his muscles, cigars and luxury cars, and has millions of millions of teenage boys following him.
Andrew Tate was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing hate speech and misogynistic comments, including that women should bear responsibility for getting sexually assaulted.
Several women in Britain also are pursuing civil claims to obtain damages from Tate, alleging they were victims of sexual violence.
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