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Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have left Romania for the US today after a travel ban on them was lifted.
The Trump administration had reportedly pressed the Romanian government to lift travel restrictions on the brothers earlier this month.
The pair were first arrested by Romanian authorities three years ago, and face trial for on allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering. They deny all of the claims.
A separate case against them, in which they are accused of human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, has been sent back to prosecutors.
The brothers, who both hold dual UK-US nationality, are also subject to a European arrest warrant secured by Bedfordshire Police for allegations of rape and human trafficking. Those allegations, which the two brothers “unequivocally deny”, date back to 2012-2015.
Tate brothers leave Romania for the US – click here for live updates
Romania’s anti-organised crime agency, DIICOT, said prosecutors approved a “request to modify the obligation preventing the defendants from leaving Romania”.
DIICOT added: “These include the requirement to appear before judicial authorities whenever summoned. The defendants have been warned that deliberately violating these obligations may result in judicial control being replaced with a stricter deprivation of liberty measure.”
It is understood that the brothers still remain under investigation and are expected to return to Romania at the end of March. Their lawyer Eugen Vidineac said earlier this year that the brothers remain “dedicated to clearing their names and reputation”.
Four women who have accused Tate of rape and coercive control and have brought a civil claim against him in the UK have said the news of them leaving Romania has left them “retraumatised”.
In a joint statement, they said: “We are in disbelief and feel retraumatised by the news that the Romanian authorities have given into pressure from the Trump administration to allow Andrew Tate to travel around Europe and to the US.
“We can only hope that the British authorities finally take action, do something about this terrifying unfolding situation and ensure he faces justice in the UK.”
Has Trump intervened in the Tate brothers’ case?
Earlier this month, it was reported that the Trump administration had been putting pressure on the Romanian government to remove the judicial control restrictions on Andrew and Tristan Tate.
Romanian officials have denied there was political “pressure” but have confirmed US special envoy Richard Grenell requested the brothers be able to travel freely. The issue was first brought up in a phone call in early February and then shortly after in person at the Munich Security Conference, the Financial Times reported.
Emil Hurezeanu, spokesperson for Romanian foreign minister, said at the time that “Romanian courts are independent and operate based on the law, there is due process”.
It’s not currently known if the Tate brothers are travelling to Florida to meet Donald Trump. The pair have long been vocal supporters of the US president, and have many supporters of their own in his inner circle.
This includes Paul Ingrassia, Mr Trump’s choice for White House liaison for the Department of Justice, and previously one of the lawyers Andrew Tate hired to fight a human trafficking case. Andrew Tate has also been friends with Donald Trump Jr since 2016, who previously called his detention “absolute insanity”.
Close Trump ally Elon Musk also backed Andrew Tate on Twitter / X recently – the platform that he owns – when he said he wanted to “become the prime minister” of the UK.
“He’s not wrong,” replied Musk, to a video in which Andrew Tate accused the country’s political establishment of being “corrupt” and having “failed people generationally”. Both brothers were also both followed by vice-president JD Vance on the platform in December.
There are also concerns that the legal case against the Tates in Romania had begun to falter in recent months. In January, Andrew Tate was released from house arrest, following a decision in October to return their luxury assets.
And in November, the appeals court ruled that major evidence in their first criminal case in Romania, which included testimony from alleged victims, was inadmissible. The case was sent back to prosecutors for them to pursue again.
