British Influencer Andrew Tate Detained in Romania on Charges of Organized Crime
Former professional kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate has been detained in Romania on charges of organized crime, alongside his brother and two Romanian nationals.
Romanian authorities allege that Tate and his associates created an organized crime group that exploited women for pornography by forcing them to create pornographic content to be sold on specialized websites.
According to the Romanian anti-organized crime agency DIICOT, six victims have been identified who were subjected to "acts of physical violence and mental coercion" and were sexually exploited by group members..
Tate, who rose to fame in 2016 when he was removed from the British TV show Big Brother over a video which appeared to show him attacking a woman, has gained notoriety online by promoting an ultra-masculine, ultra-luxurious lifestyle.
Despite social media bans, he gained popularity, particularly among young men, by regularly appearing in videos with expensive sports cars, on private jets, and enjoying expensive holidays. Tate has been banned from Twitter for saying women should "bear responsibility" for being sexually assaulted, but has since been reinstated.
Tate reportedly developed a lung nodule while in custody, and it was reported that he requested to see a doctor.
He and his brother were detained in Ilfov, an area north of Bucharest, after their house was raided. Video on social media showed the brothers being led away from a luxury villa, and police released a video of the raid showing guns, knives, and money on display in one room.
British Influencer Andrew Tate Detained in Romania on Charges of Organized Crime