Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have been charged with further trafficking and sex crimes in Romania.
Andrew (39) and Tristan (38) are said to have made more than 1.2 million US dollars by coercing a girl to perform sex acts on video chats, according to the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT).
The Tate brothers are currently in jail in Miami fighting against extradition to the UK on separate rape and trafficking charges.
Prosecutors in Romania requested the confiscation of four of the brothers’ luxury cars, worth around £710,000, as part of the investigation.
Andrew is charged with trafficking minors, continuous money laundering and sexual acts with a minor.
Tristan is charged with complicity in trafficking in minors and money laundering.
Investigators say between 2012 and 2021 Andrew took advantage of a vulnerable woman, who had been recruited by Tristan when she was 15, and sheltered her in a building in Luton, Bedfordshire, for sexual exploitation.
He is accused of controlling her through surveillance and physical aggression and inducing her to perform sex acts on video chats for his financial gain.
Andrew is also said to have transported the woman to Romania to continue the exploitation at two of his homes in the country.
Tristan is accused of being physically aggressive to ensure the victim’s compliance with the video chats.
Andrew is also accused of having sex with another minor aged 15 in Romania.
Both brothers are accused of trying to persuade a witness in the case not to give evidence by offering them money.
They are also alleged to have laundered money through the purchase of the four cars which were confiscated.
The Tates, former professional kickboxers who have millions of social media followers, deny the allegations as well as those in the UK – saying their brash online personas are characters and not their true personalities.
Eugen Constantin Vidineac, lawyer for the brothers, said: “Today’s decision by DIICOT does not determine guilt and it should not be presented as though it does. It represents the prosecution’s latest attempt to bring this case before a court following the failure of its previous indictment to proceed to trial.
“The history of these proceedings matters. The previous indictment was subjected to judicial scrutiny and the court identified significant irregularities which prevented the case from moving forward to trial.
“DIICOT has now chosen to file a new indictment. We will examine every aspect of it with the same level of scrutiny and we will challenge any evidential, procedural or legal deficiencies through the appropriate judicial process.
“Our clients continue to reject the allegations against them. They have the right to the presumption of innocence, the right to properly examine the evidence relied upon against them and the right to mount an effective defence.”