Romanian prosecutors formally indict the Tate brothers on trafficking and sex offences

Contents of the formal indictment Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) announced a formal indictment against social media figures Andrew Tate, 39, and Tristan Tate, 38. The prosecutors say the charges include human trafficking, money laundering and sexual offences. Authorities allege that more than $1.2m (£888,000) was obtained by coercing a girl to perform sexual acts on video chats.

According to DIICOT, Andrew is charged with trafficking minors, money laundering and having sex with a minor. Tristan is charged with complicity in trafficking in minors and money laundering. A judge must examine the indictment before any trial can begin.

Allegations concerning the recruitment and exploitation of a 15-year-old Prosecutors say the case centers on a vulnerable girl who was 15 at the time of the alleged offence. DIICOT alleges Andrew recruited the girl and housed her in a building in Luton, Bedfordshire, to sexually exploit her. Investigators claim Andrew controlled her through surveillance and physical coercion and forced her to carry out sex acts during video chats for financial gain.

Prosecutors further allege that Tristan acted as an accessory, using physical aggression to coerce the victim. They also say Andrew moved the girl to Romania and continued to exploit her in two of his homes.

Financial allegations and asset seizure requests DIICOT states that the alleged coercion generated more than $1.2m (£888,000). Prosecutors have requested the confiscation of four luxury cars owned by the brothers, valued at £710,000, on the grounds that vehicle purchases may have been used to launder money. The money-laundering allegations are tied to the claim that proceeds from the exploitation were channelled into purchases and investments.

Procedural history and earlier court rulings The Tate brothers have been under criminal investigation in Romania since December 2022. A previous indictment against them was returned to prosecutors in 2024 after an appeals court in Bucharest ruled some evidence inadmissible. DIICOT has now filed a new indictment.

It is not yet clear whether DIICOT will seek extradition from the US; the indictment must be reviewed by a judge before any trial can be launched or any extradition steps are taken.

Custodial status in the US and extradition issues At the time of the indictment, the brothers were in a Miami jail contesting extradition to the UK on separate charges. Any decision about transferring them to Romania or the UK will depend on judicial proceedings in the US and any formal requests from DIICOT.

No public information in the DIICOT release confirms whether prosecutors have already submitted an extradition request to US authorities; the judicial review of the indictment is a required step before pursuing such measures.

Defence response and statements from counsel The Tates deny all the allegations and say their online personas are not their real personalities. Their Romanian lawyer, Eugen Constantin Vidineac, issued a statement saying the DIICOT decision does not determine guilt and represents the prosecution’s latest attempt to bring the case before a court after the previous indictment failed to proceed to trial due to procedural irregularities.

Vidineac added that the defence will scrutinise the new indictment and challenge any evidential, procedural or legal deficiencies through the judicial process, while stressing his clients’ rights to the presumption of innocence and to examine the evidence in order to mount an effective defence.

Public profile and case background The brothers, former kickboxers with dual US and British citizenship, have been mainly based in Romania since 2017. They built a large social media following—many young men—through messages critics have described as misogynistic and through the display of a luxury lifestyle. This public profile has amplified attention to the criminal allegations.

Correction noted by news outlet A correction published on 5 September states that a previous version of the article incorrectly said the Tate brothers were charged with further offences. The article was updated to make clear they have been officially indicted for offences they had already been accused of, and that it was Andrew, not Tristan, alleged to have recruited the 15-year-old.

Remaining open questions The DIICOT statement does not specify whether prosecutors will immediately request extradition from US authorities, nor does it provide dates for judicial review or trial. Those procedural steps remain to be taken and announced if DIICOT or courts in the US initiate them.