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A court in Romania's capital on Friday denied a request by online influencer Andrew Tate to return assets that were seized during investigations into the case in which he is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
The Bucharest Tribunal ruled that all assets seized will remain in possession of Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, Tate’s spokesperson said, adding that the decision will be appealed. Tate, 37, won an appeal in January challenging the asset seizures, which triggered a retrial.
The former professional kickboxer was arrested in December 2022 near Bucharest along with his brother Tristan Tate and two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year. They have denied the allegations.
ANDREW TATE DETAINED IN ROMANIA, HANDED UK ARREST WARRANT, SPOKESPERSON SAYS
After the Tates were detained, Romanian authorities seized 15 luxury cars, 14 designer watches and cash in several currencies. The fleet of automobiles included a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari, a Porsche, a BMW, an Aston Martin and a Mercedes-Benz. The total value of the goods, authorities said at the time, was estimated at 3.6 million euros ($3.9 million).
Andrew Tate leaves the Bucharest Tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, March 15, 2024. A court in Romania’s capital on Wednesday extended geographical restrictions against online influencer Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
DIICOT also said it had identified more than 10 properties and land owned by companies registered to the Tate brothers, and that their assets could be used to fund investigations and compensate victims if the authorities could prove they were gained through illicit activities.
Andrew Tate, who has amassed 9 million followers on the social media platform X, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. He was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and for hate speech.
The decision on Friday came a week after the Tate brothers appeared at the Bucharest Court of Appeal in a separate case. British authorities issued arrest warrants over allegations of sexual aggression in a U.K. case dating back to 2012-2015, according to the brothers' spokesperson.
The court granted the British authorities their request to extradite the Tates, but only after legal proceedings against them have been concluded in Romania.
The Romanian case is still being discussed in the preliminary chamber stages, when defendants can challenge prosecutors’ evidence. No trial date has been set.
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Last week, the Bucharest Tribunal, the court of first instance, extended by 60 days geographical restrictions against the Tates, which stipulate they may not leave the country.
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