Controversial YouTuber Andrew Tate and three others have been charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
The former kickboxer, his brother Tristan and two other suspects are under house arrest pending a criminal investigation for abuses committed against seven women – accusations which they have denied.
Andrew, who rose to fame when he appeared on Big Brother in 2016, has also been charged with raping one of the victims, while Tristan has been charged with instigating others to violence.
#BREAKING UK influencer Andrew Tate indicted on human trafficking, rape charges in Romania: prosecutors pic.twitter.com/tKCLLI7oEr
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 20, 2023
Prosecutors previously said the victims were recruited by “British citizens misrepresenting their intention to enter into a marriage or cohabitation relationship and the existence of genuine feelings of love”.
They said the victims were then taken to Romania’s Ilfov county where “by exercising acts of physical violence and mental coercion – through intimidation, constant surveillance, control and invoking alleged debts – they were sexually exploited by group members by forcing them to perform demonstrations pornographic for the purpose of producing and disseminating through social media platforms material having such a character and by submitting to the execution of a forced labour”.
Andrew appeared on Big Brother in 2016, but he was removed from the programme after a video surfaced online which allegedly showed him attacking a woman with a belt.
He was banned from Twitter in 2017 over his misogynistic views and hate speech, but was reinstated last month.
Andrew, who has described himself as the “king of toxic masculinity”, has previously suggested rape victims “bear some responsibility” for being attacked and has described women as “property” belonging to men.
