Andrew Tate, a misogynist social media celebrity, can now leave Romania as he awaits trial, according to a court ruling Friday. Tate is accused of organizing an organized crime gang, human trafficking, and rape. According to the Bucharest Tribunal’s ruling, Tate is required to stay in the EU.
Although it did not specify a date, the Bucharest Tribunal determined on April 26 that the prosecution’s case file against Tate fulfilled the legal requirements, allowing a trial to commence. The defendants had the opportunity to contest the prosecution’s evidence and case file throughout the preliminary chamber stages, which lasted for months before the court handed down its verdict.
Mateea Petrescu, his spokesperson, hailed the decision to allow Tate, 37, permission to leave the country as a huge win and a significant advancement in the case.
In December 2022, outside of Bucharest, Tate, his brother Tristan, and two women from Romania were first apprehended.
Tate is a dual British-American citizen and a former professional kickboxer. Romanian authorities officially charged the four individuals in June of last year; each has since rejected the charges.
Among Tate’s many online crimes is hate speech. In August 2022, he was prohibited from publishing videos on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for breaking parent company Meta’s regulations against harmful organizations and persons.
After Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, the platform restored him after suspending him in 2017.
Tate tweeted exuberantly on Musk’s X site after Friday’s judgment that he was “FREE!”
A lawyer for the Tate family, Eugen Vidineac, stated that they embrace and applaud the decision of the court and consider it a reflection of the exemplary behavior and assistance of my clients, adding that the Tate family is still determined to clear their name and reputation.
The four individuals were indicted by DIICOT, Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, on charges of conspiring to engage in human trafficking inside Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.