BUCHAREST. A Romanian court on Tuesday (March 14th) rejected social media personality Andrew Tate’s request to be released on bail from police custody pending a criminal investigation into alleged sex trafficking.
Tate, his brother Tristan and two Romanian female suspects have been in police custody since December 29 as prosecutors investigate suspicion of forming a criminal ring for human trafficking, rape and sexual exploitation of women, charges they have denied.
A Bucharest court said Tate’s request to replace police custody with limited release on bail was “inadmissible in principle”.
His defense team said they were “disappointed with this outcome” and that they would appeal the decision.
The court will rule on a similar request filed by Tristan Tate on March 15.
Prosecutors say the Tate brothers recruited victims by luring them and falsely claiming they wanted a relationship or marriage. The victims were then forced to create pornographic content for social media.
Romanian courts have extended the detention of the Tate brothers, who hold dual US and British citizenship, until March 29, and prosecutors are expected to ask for another extension after the deadline.
Prosecutors can ask Romanian courts to extend the detention of suspects for up to 180 days.
Tate, who has been based primarily in Romania since 2017, is an online influencer and self-described geek who has built a following of millions of fans, especially among young men who are drawn to his hyper-macho persona.
While in custody, Tate made various attempts to defend himself, including trying to get lawmakers involved in his case and trying to intimidate some of his alleged victims, according to wiretaps prosecutors filed in court.