Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate appear in Romanian court on human trafficking charges claiming no statement 'against' them: 'It was a witch hunt'
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA: Andrew Tate, the polarizing social media figure, made a public appearance at the Bucharest Court amidst his ongoing human trafficking trial.
The occasion transformed into a vehement outburst, as both Andrew and his brother Tristan Tate unleashed a spirited verbal rant against DIICOT and what they refer to as "the Matrix" or the established system.
Back in August, the Tate siblings successfully appealed to have their house arrest lifted. Nevertheless, they are still subject to judicial supervision, which restricts their movement to the boundaries of Bucharest.
Andrew Tate slams DIICOT for its attack on him and his brother
Andrew and Tristan appeared in the Bucharest court and are presently awaiting trial on charges related to human trafficking and the formation of a criminal organization aimed at exploiting women, allegations they claim to be untrue.
According to the Daily Mail, a decision regarding the continuation of the existing judicial control measures imposed on the brothers will be disclosed on Thursday.
It has been reported by the Daily Mail that the Tate brothers also appealed against the seizure of numerous high-value assets earlier in the year, which encompassed ten properties and 15 vehicles.
The court postponed the hearing concerning the asset seizures until November.
According to the Daily Mail, the Tate brothers were seen departing from the court premises earlier in the company of their legal team, flanked by security personnel.
During their arrival at the court, they engaged in conversation with journalists. Andrew accused the prosecuting attorney of being an individual desperately seeking recognition by exploiting fabricated allegations, effectively characterizing him as an admirer of their work.
According to the Daily Mail, one reporter inquired about Andrew's experience during the past few months under house arrest and whether he aspired to depart from Romania.
Andrew responded by stating that they would have to wait and see, with the hope that things would progress positively.
He conveyed the belief that everyone now comprehends that this situation originated in January and has persisted for a substantial duration.
Andrew said, "We'll see. God willing. But things are moving in the correct direction. I think everybody now has understood that this began in January. It's been going on for a very long time."
The Daily Mail further notes that Andrew expressed the opinion that most individuals grasp the true nature of the situation, deeming it a witch hunt.
He acknowledged that when one achieves significant success, there will inevitably be individuals who attempt to undermine them.
Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of resilience and adaptability, expressing confidence that the matter would conclude swiftly.
According to the Daily Mail, Andrew said that there is no "video of an abused girl and not a single statement against us."
He labeled the investigation as a "witch hunt".
He further said, "I think everybody understands what's happened here and it was a witch hunt. And unfortunately, in life, you cannot shine light without casting a shadow."
"If you get too big and too successful, people are going to come and try and attack you. But you have to roll with the punches, take the rough with the smooth. And I am very sure this will all be concluded pretty quickly," he added.
Andrew and Tristan, accompanied by two women, were arrested on December 29, 2022, facing severe charges including human trafficking, involvement in an organized crime group, and one of them under suspicion of rape.
Allegedly employing the 'loverboy' method, according to the Daily Mail, DIICOT alleges that the Tates pressured women into creating explicit content on platforms like OnlyFans for financial gain.
Authorities identified seven potential victims and seized 29 assets, including 15 cars, 10 properties, watches, and significant sums of money, totaling nearly $4 million, linked to the brothers.
On June 20, The Daily Mail reported their formal charges, which included accusations of rape, human trafficking, and involvement in an organized criminal group for the purpose of sexually exploiting women.
On August 4, they were subjected to Judicial Control, restricting their movements, all the while maintaining their fervent denial of these accusations, as per the Daily Mail.
Andrew commented to reporters that when one achieves significant success, people often try to attack you, but you have to be resilient and handle challenges gracefully, reported the Daily Mail.
He expressed confidence that this situation would be resolved swiftly.
The Daily Mail also reported that a reporter asked Andrew about the seized assets and whether he believed he could recover them through legal proceedings.
In response, Andrew expressed his surprise at the way things were handled in Romania, as he was not accustomed to law enforcement seizing assets in such a manner in Western countries.
He mentioned the desire to retrieve his belongings but emphasized that he wasn't overly materialistic.
When asked about the most valuable thing investigators had taken, as per the Daily Mail, Andrew responded that it was his and his brother's freedom and peace of mind, which he believes has been restored as they have a better understanding of the situation and support from around the world.
As per the Daily Mail, Andrew said, "DIICOT took a lot of stuff, they took 15 cars and they took a lot of things of a lot of value. This is very strange for me as a Westerner. We don't work this way in our countries. Police can't just come and rob you and force you to open your safe and take all of your things at gunpoint."
He further said, "Obviously, things are a bit different here. It'd be nice to get my things back. But all in all, I'm not too materialistic a person."
Talking about the most valuable thing taken by investigators, Tate said, "Our freedom. Our peace of mind, but that's come back now."
He also added, "We're pretty stable and we understand exactly what's really going on here. And the whole world knows this garbage as well. Now they've seen the evidence put together by the DIICOT, judges keep letting me go. Isn't that wonderful?… things moving in the right direction"
The Daily Mail reported that Tristan ruled out pursuing legal action against Romania as a whole but expressed his intention to file lawsuits against specific individuals.
He acknowledged that Romania may not have significant financial resources, and he didn't want to harm schools and hospitals, but he intended to pursue legal action against specific individuals.
According to the Daily Mail, Tristan said, "I believe that Romania doesn't have very much money as a nation, and I don't need to take money away from schools and hospitals. However, I will be taking legal action against individual people. Many individuals."
Andrew Tate was accused by four British women of coercively controlling them
As per the Daily Mail, this latest court appearance by Andrew and Tristan in Eastern Europe coincides with reports of four British women planning to sue Andrew, alleging that he subjected them to coercive control and one of them claiming she was raped.
Andrew is alleged to have engaged in abusive behavior from 2013 to 2016, predating his rise to social media prominence.
Each woman asserts that they were subjected to choking incidents by Andrew Tate that resulted in burst blood vessels in their eyes. Andrew vehemently denies these allegations and has threatened to pursue defamation charges.
Of the four women involved, three initially reported the incidents to the police, but after a four-year investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service opted not to file charges.
Now, these women are considering a civil lawsuit as their primary recourse, as reported by The Sunday Times.
They intend to sue Andrew for personal injury and physical harm, with the claim expected to be filed in the coming weeks.