Andrew Tate charged with human trafficking and rape in Romania

() — Online influencer Andrew Tate, his brother Tristan and two Romanian citizens were charged Tuesday with human trafficking, rape and creation of a criminal gang, according to a statement from Romanian prosecutors.

The Tate brothers and two Romanian suspects are under house arrest pending a criminal investigation into abuses committed against seven women, accusations they have denied.

Tate was first arrested in Bucharest, the Romanian capital, in December 2022. He and his brother were in police custody until March, before being placed under house arrest.

Andrew Tate was also charged with raping one of the victims, while his brother Tristan has been charged with inciting violence by others.

The trial will not begin immediately.

Under Romanian law, the case is sent to the preliminary courtroom, where a judge has 60 days to inspect the case files to ensure legality.

Prosecutors have said the Tate brothers recruited their victims by seducing them and falsely claiming they wanted a relationship or marriage.

Tate, a former professional boxer, became famous for his viral online rants preaching male dominance, female submission and the pursuit of wealth. He has been an outspoken advocate for violence against women and was previously banned from all major social media platforms until Elon Musk reinstated his Twitter account after taking over the company.

Tate rose to fame last year, leading many to become alarmed at his malign influence on his predominantly young, male audience. Schoolteachers around the world have reported on the growing prevalence of misogynistic views among teens who are fans of Tate content.

Before she was removed, her TikTok account racked up around 11.6 billion views.