Former YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch star and alleged human trafficker Andrew Tate, along with his brother Tristan, are officially out of prison following a successful appeal. The two are not in the clear yet, however, with the brothers being placed under house arrest in Romania while the investigation continues.
Andrew Tate came to public attention following his appearance on the British Reality TV Show Big Brother in 2016 but was removed from the show after a video surfaced of him striking a woman with a belt. The former professional Kickboxer became a famous but controversial social media personality with legions of followers on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and Twitch. However, his misogynistic views led him to be banned from many social media platforms, and Tate and his brother are now under investigation for their part in a Romanian sex trafficking ring.
The brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate had been detained in a Romanian jail since their arrest in December. Romanian judges extended their detainment multiple times over concern that they might be a flight risk, despite numerous appeals by the brothers' defense team. The Tates' lawyers finally won a small victory on Friday, releasing the brothers from prison following a successful appeal. However, Romanian authorities are not done with them, as the pair remain under house arrest pending the completion of the ongoing investigation.
"We are ecstatic to announce the Romanian judicial system approved Andrew and Tristan Tate's appeal against last week's extension decision," said a spokesperson for the brothers. This spokesperson also thanked Tate's fans for supporting him and reiterated his claim that the charges against him were fabricated. Tate's communications director, Mateea Petrescu, spoke briefly to reporters outside of the prison, explaining that the courts had come to see that the brothers did not represent a flight risk or threat to public safety. She also described how the brothers remained optimistic throughout their incarceration and felt Romanian authorities treated them fairly.
The Tates' incarceration has not prevented them from being active on social media. Andrew Tate has 5.4 million Twitter followers, with his brother having a more modest but still substantial number of followers on the same platform. Andrew and Tristan regularly tweeted during the period they were in prison. However, it's unclear whether they were running the accounts themselves or had left them in the hands of a social media manager. The influencer teased his release ahead of time with a tweet saying, "Friday. InshaAllah," meaning "God willing."
Romanian authorities may continue to hold Andrew and Tristan Tate until April 29. The same applies to two Romanian women who are also under investigation for having been part of the same ring.
Source: Dexerto