A Romanian court on Tuesday agreed to extend former kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate’s detention on suspicion of human trafficking, rape, and forming an organized crime group for another 30 days, according to reports.
Tate was arrested on Dec. 29. 2022, with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women after Romanian authorities raided their Bucharest properties and held them for 24 hours.
As of Tuesday, none of the four detainees has been formally charged.
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The Associated Press reported that a spokesperson from Romania’s anti-organized crime agency DIICOT, Romona Bolla, said a request by the prosecutor to continue to hold the Tates for 30 more days was approved by the Bucharest Tribunal. The two Romanian women are to be placed on house arrest.
Tuesday’s extension was the third one granted since the Tates were arrested at the end of 2022.
On Jan. 20, a judge ordered to keep the Tates behind bars as an investigation into their affairs continued.
The AP reported that the judge considered the “particular dangerousness of the defendants” and their capacity to identify victims “with an increased vulnerability, in search of better life opportunities,” when deciding to hold the brothers behind bars.
The Tates appealed the judge’s decision but lost on Feb. 1.
An attorney representing the brothers, Eugen Vidineac, reportedly told reporters before the hearing on Tuesday that the defense would challenge an extension, insisting there was not enough evidence to keep his clients in custody.
Andrew Tate also turned to Twitter before the decision.
“I can easily think myself into euphoric gratefulness for things as simple as having air to breathe,” he said. “I can easily think myself into the deepest and darkest depression. I’ve seen hell. I’ve lived hell. I can produce either state. Your reality is self-constructed.”
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Shortly after the judge extended the Tate brothers’ detention, Andrew posted again.
“I will meditate deeply over this decision,” he tweeted.
Tate and his three alleged partners had reportedly been under a criminal investigation since April after they were suspected of being involved in a human trafficking scheme in which at least six women were sexually exploited.
“The four suspects…appear to have created an organized crime group with the purpose of recruiting, housing and exploiting women by forcing them to create pornographic content meant to be seen on specialized websites for a cost,” prosecutors said. “They would have gained important sums of money.”
Reports on Friday suggested that Tate’s renewed social media presence on Twitter may have led to his own arrest.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
