Andrew Tate is pictured in an Interview with James English. Photo courtesy of Anything Goes With James English/
WikimediaDec. 30 (UPI) — Andrew Tate, the controversial online influencer and former professional kickboxer known for his misogynistic views, has been ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for 30 days after his arrest in Romania on allegations of organized crime, rape and human trafficking involving at least six women.
Tate was arrested Thursday along with his brother, Tristan Tate, and two other suspects after police raided a home outside of Bucharest as part of a criminal investigation that has been ongoing since April.
All four suspects were placed in pre-trial detention on Friday, a spokesperson for Romania’s anti-organized crime unit confirmed to The Guardian and The New York Times.
Romania’s Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism had said Thursday that the Tate brothers and the two other suspects would be detained for 24 hours.
The Tate brothers, who live in Romania, have dual citizenship with the United States and Britain.
“The Matrix sent their agents,” reads a tweet posted Friday by Andrew Tate’s account after his arrest.
He was previously suspended from social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitch as well as Twitter for his sexist remarks about women but was recently reinstated to Twitter after the platform was purchased by controversial billionaire Elon Musk.
Speculation grew online that authorities in Romania were likely tipped that Tate was in the country after engaging in an online feud with teen climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Tate on Tuesday tweeted at Thunberg asking for her email address to send her a list of cars in his collection and their emissions to which she responded: “yes, please do enlighten me. email me at [email protected]”
In a reply to her response, Tate can be seen with boxes from a Romanian pizza restaurant. However, a spokesperson for Romanian prosecutors told The Guardian that Tate was not arrested because of the pizza boxes.
After Tate’s arrest was announced, the 19-year-old Thunberg tweeted: “This is what happens when you don’t recycle your pizza boxes.”
Tate’s arrest was recorded by police and shared by Romania’s organized crime directorate and shows officers raiding the home. The footage also appeared to show weapons recovered by police, including a handgun, a sword and large knives.
Romanian officials said in the news release that the Tate brothers have been detained amid an investigation into organized crime, human trafficking and rape in Romania as well as other countries including the United States and Britain.
Andrew Tate and his brother were accused of “misrepresenting their intention to enter into marriage” and cohabitation relationships with alleged victims before transporting them to buildings in the Ilfov County of Romania.
Officials described the actions of the Tates as the “loverboy method” and said that their victims were “sexually exploited by members of the group” who forced them to perform “pornographic demonstrations” to share on social media.
