The influencer and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate has been charged with rape, human trafficking, and forming an organised crime group with the aim of sexually exploiting women, following his arrest in Romania last year.

Alongside his brother, Tristan, Tate was arrested at his home in Bucharest in December, 2022, and moved from custody to house arrest in March 2023. Now, charges against the Tate brothers and two other associates say that in 2021 they formed an organised criminal group to commit human trafficking in Romania, as well as other countries including the UK and the US.

Seven alleged victims are named in the indictment, who were apparently recruited by the Tate brothers through “false promises of love and marriage”, as reported by the BBC. Andrew Tate has also been charged with raping one of the victims, while his brother has been charged with instigating violence.

A Romanian judge has 60 days to inspect the case files before it can be sent to trial – a process that’s expected to take several years.

Meanwhile, Tate continues to post to millions of mostly young male fans on social media, even making reference to Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in a recent quote tweet that reads: “Im sure this case has absolutely nothing to do with stealing my wealth.”

Tate has generated numerous controversies since gaining fame as a contestant on Big Brother in 2016, and has promoted a “hypermasculine” lifestyle in online ventures including Hustlers University and The War Room, as well as viral videos on YouTube and TikTok. In February this year, a poll conducted by the advocacy group Hope Not Hate suggested that more teenage boys in the UK have watched Tate’s videos than have heard of current prime minister Rishi Sunak.

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