Accused rapist and sex trafficker Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan are under criminal investigation in Florida, according to the state’s Attorney General James Uthmeier, after the pair arrived in Fort Lauderdale last week.
“These guys have themselves publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world,” Uthmeier told a reporter on Tuesday, noting that some of the Tates’ accusers have been minors. “People can spin it however they want,” he said. “In Florida, this type of behavior is viewed as atrocious.”
The Tates, far-right manosphere influencers who face criminal charges related to an alleged human trafficking operation in Romania as well as potential extradition to the U.K. (they have denied all allegations), had been allowed to leave Europe and fly to the U.S. five days ago. This was reportedly thanks to the efforts of a Trump envoy, Richard Grenell, who negotiated with the Romanian government to lift travel restrictions on the siblings — outspoken supporters of the president — despite an active prosecution against them in the country. Trump has denied having any knowledge of the circumstances of the Tates’ newfound freedom of movement.
To the apparent displeasure of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Tates chose to return to his state. (They have dual citizenship in the U.S. and U.K.) Last Thursday, in a press conference, the governor claimed he had no prior knowledge of the brothers’ arrival and had learned about it through the media. “Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct,” he said, alluding to the various allegations and charges against the Tates. DeSantis added that Uthmeier was exploring legal options to “deal with” their unexpected presence. The attorney general also announced that he had opened a “preliminary inquiry.”
The Tates’ prominent allies in MAGA world blasted DeSantis for the aforementioned response, saying the self-styled “alpha male” figures were being unfairly targeted, though other conservative commentators argued that the brothers were unfit ambassadors for right-wing ideology. The two brothers then seemed to resume life as usual, on Tuesday releasing an installment of their “Tate Confidential” video series that depicted them relaxing around a pool at a luxury property. “First day of Freedom in Miami,” Andrew Tate wrote in an X post where he shared the footage.
Less than an hour later, he was denouncing the Florida investigation. “Absolute communism,” he wrote in another post. “I am super disappointed in the United States. This isn’t the America I know. This is a sad sad day for America. Trying to find crimes on an innocent man.” Tristan Tate wrote, in his own X post, “Letitia James is after me,” making a cryptic reference to the attorney general of New York. James has not as yet announced any action against the Tates.
While the nature of Uthmeier’s criminal probe is not yet clear, the brothers are presently in a legal battle with an American woman who sued them in Palm Beach County, Florida, last month. Identified as Jane Doe in court documents, she has alleged that the Tates attempted to pull her into a webcam sex trafficking scheme. The brothers sued her for defamation in 2023 after she provided testimony to Romanian authorities. Her countersuit alleges they defamed her, while her attorney, Dani Pinter, said she has been “relentlessly harassed, threatened, and sued for merely cooperating” with law enforcement in Romania. The civil suit is the first against the brothers in the U.S.
Just before landing in Florida, the Tates filed for a temporary restraining order against Doe, citing text messages that allegedly demonstrate “credible threats of violence, intimidation or harm.” Pinter said that Doe had requested to pause her lawsuit after the brothers reentered the U.S., but the court denied the motion.
Uthmeier was emphatic in his remarks Tuesday about going after the Tates. “We’re not going to accept it,” he said of their alleged crimes. “They chose to come here and set their feet down in this state, and we’re going to pursue every tool we have within our legal authority to hold them accountable.”
Andrew Tate, meanwhile, continued to profess his innocence, comparing himself to the man who reportedly aided his escape from Romania in the first place. “I didn’t commit any crime and they’re trying to find one because they don’t like me,” he wrote on X. “This is exactly what they did to president Trump.”
From Rolling Stone US
