Andrew Tate to stand trial on trafficking, rape charges in Romanian court

Tate, an online influencer and self-proclaimed 'misogynist,' will stand trial alongside his brother, Tristan.

Andrew Tate is heading to court in Romania.

Tate, an online influencer and self-proclaimed “misogynist,” will stand trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, after a court in Romania ruled the trial can go ahead Friday.

Tate, 37, was arrested alongside his brother, Tristan, 35, in December 2022. Both have denied the charges. Two female Romanian associates were also named alongside the brothers in an indictment published in June 2023, where seven alleged victims were identified.

The Bucharest Tribunal ruled that prosecutors’ case file against Tate and his brother met the legal criteria, but did not set a date for the trial to begin. Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, said the ruling will be appealed.

Before the court’s decision Friday, the legal case had been discussed for months in the preliminary chamber stages, a process in which the defendants can challenge prosecutors’ evidence and case file.

Tate has repeatedly claimed that Romanian prosecutors have no evidence to use against him and believes there is a conspiracy to silence him.

The brothers, who are both British-U.S. dual citizens, are also wanted in the U.K. over sexual offences allegedly committed there.

In March, a Romanian court approved the extradition of the Tate brothers to the U.K., but only after the trial proceedings in Romania have been completed.