Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother have been released from jail in Romania and placed under house arrest for 30 days instead, according to court documents.
The self-proclaimed misogynist, 36, and his sibling Tristan, were released from a detention facility in Bucharest just before midnight local time.
Accompanied by their lawyer Eugen Vidineac, the pair made few comments to a crowd of journalists and supporters. Mr Vidineac spoke briefly in Romanian before the brothers pushed through the crowds to a car with darkened windows and drove off.
The pair, along with two Romanian women Naghel Georgiana Manuela and Radu Alexandra Luana, are being investigated by prosecutors in the capital Bucharest.
Georgiana Manuela has been widely reported to be Andrew Tate’s girlfriend.
The four suspects have been detained for months over allegations of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.
They have denied all the accusations.
Andrew Tate’s communications director, Mateea Petrescu, told Sky News: “They are not a flight risk and they are not a danger to public safety, therefore [the authorities] have decided to release them under house arrest.
“[It’s] just a small step — they are still under investigation
“They are absolutely ecstatic. They kept their spirits [in jail], they are really thrilled and looking forward to being at home – they have kept their optimism throughout.”
An order from an appeals court in Bucharest said it “rejects the proposal to extend the duration of the preventive arrest measure.. regarding the defendants Tate III Emory Andrew, Tate Tristan, Naghel Georgiana Manuela and Radu Alexandra Luana.
“[The court] replaces the measure of preventive detention ordered against the defendants.. with the preventive measure of house arrest, for a period of 30 days.”
The document concluded that it “orders the immediate release of the defendants”.
Luxury cars apparently belonging to Tate being seized in Romania
Read more:
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British-American Andrew Tate, who has been based mainly in Romania since 2017, is an online influencer who has amassed millions of followers, particularly young men.
The former professional kickboxer and his sibling were taken into custody on 29 December last year and neither of them has been formally charged in the case. They have had previous requests to be released from custody rejected four times since December.
Romania’s anti-organised crime agency DIICOT said in a statement after the arrests that it had identified six victims in the human trafficking case who were allegedly subjected to “acts of physical violence and mental coercion” and sexually exploited by members of the alleged crime group.
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Romanian police release release video of a raid following the arrest of Andrew Tate.
The agency said victims were lured with pretences of love and later intimidated, placed under surveillance and subjected to other control tactics while being coerced into engaging in pornographic acts for the financial gain of the crime group.
Romanian authorities said they had seized goods and money worth almost £3.25m from the controversial influencer’s villa, including luxury cars.
Tate is banned from Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for violating rules on “dangerous individuals” and breaching hate speech rules. He was kicked off Twitter in 2017, but allowed back in November 2022.
