Bucharest Court of Appeal orders restart of case against Andrew and Tristan Tate
The Bucharest Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday, December 19, to return Andrew and Tristan Tate's case to DIICOT (Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism) so that the investigation could be restarted.
Andrew and Tristan Tate, holding dual British and American citizenship, along with two female accomplices (Alexandra-Luana Radu and Georgiana Manuela Naghel), were indicted by DIICOT on June 20, 2023, accused of forming an organized criminal group for recruiting, housing, and exploiting women by forcing them to create pornographic material for paid distribution on adult websites. The defendants, who routinely show off expensive cars in videos online, allegedly earned significant sums of money from these activities.
Initially, on April 26, the Bucharest Tribunal ruled that the trial could proceed, but on November 19, the Bucharest Court of Appeal granted several requests and exceptions raised by the Tate brothers, leading to the elimination of evidence from the case.
The Court found that the DIICOT indictment against Tate’s associates Radu Luana and Naghel Georgiana was irregular due to how it was constituted and presented. The indictment also violated Andrew Tate's right to defense, specifically about how the accusation of human trafficking regarding a victim was communicated, and failed to specify the sums for which special confiscation should be ordered. Statements given by the victims in the anticipated hearing procedure and by the Tate brothers as witnesses were also excluded, according to Agerpres.
The charges brought against Andrew and Tristan Tate include creating an organized criminal group, continuous human trafficking, continuous rape (two counts), unauthorized access to an IT system, altering the integrity of IT data, assault or other acts of violence, and incitement to these offenses. According to DIICOT, the human trafficking offense was committed not only on Romanian territory but also in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Investigators claim that the Tate brothers recruited young women under the pretext of starting a romantic relationship, after which they brought them to a house in Ilfov County, Romania, where the women were forced to produce video content posted on adult websites.
Victims told investigators that the villa in Ilfov County was equipped with a video-chat studio and guarded by armed security. Additionally, they were allegedly forced to get tattoos bearing the phrase "owned by Tate." Investigators identified seven victims in the case, but only three of them have joined the case as civil parties.
Regarding the rape charge, investigators allege that in March 2022, one of the women was repeatedly forced to engage in sexual acts by one of the Tate brothers through physical violence and psychological pressure.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Octav Ganea)
