Andrew and Tristan Tate to face rape and trafficking charges in the UK, lawyer says

Romanian courts have issued an order to extradite the Tate brothers to the UK once their ongoing proceedings have concluded, according to British prosecutors.

Controversial "Manosphere" influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate will return to the UK to defend themselves against charges which include rape and trafficking after ongoing proceedings in Romania have been concluded, their lawyers said Thursday.In January 2024, prosecutors authorised charges against the pair, who are dual US-British citizens, but the UK Crown Prosecution Service did not announce the charges — which involve abuse of several women — until Wednesday.In the meantime, Romanian courts have issued an order to extradite the pair once their ongoing proceedings have concluded, British prosecutors said.The Tates' lawyers have claimed that the brothers are at a disadvantage because British prosecutors have not shared any information with them about the charges, but have stated that the pair would be aggressively defended. “These are historic allegations and our clients are not even being told who the supposed victims are,” the Holborn Adams law firm said in a statement. “This ... demonstrates a different approach on the basis of the profile of our clients”, the firm added. What are the UK cases against the Tates about?38-year-old Andrew Tate, who is a self-professed misogynist, has a larger following than his brother, drawing boys and young men to the luxurious lifestyle he projects. He faces 10 charges related to three women that include rape, actual bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain, prosecutors said. Meanwhile, Tristan Tate, 36, faces 11 charges related to one woman that include rape, human trafficking and actual bodily harm.The allegations from Bedfordshire, the county north of London where the brothers grew up, span between 2012 and 2015.The Tates were arrested in Romania in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges that they participated in a criminal ring there that lured women who were allegedly sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was also charged with rape.The brothers have been under investigation for more than two years by the Romanian authorities for alleged crimes, including rape, human trafficking and money laundering. They deny all the charges.A Romanian appeals court said in December 2024 that a human trafficking case could not proceed because of legal and procedural irregularities.Lawyers for the Tates said they may have information that could undermine the allegations, but police and prosecutors have refused to speak with them.The brothers left Romania for the US in February, but have since returned after Florida officials announced they were looking into the possibility of prosecuting them there.They told the press upon their return in March that "innocent men don't run from anything".