Andrew Tate has stated that he is “misunderstood” and has criticized “media spin” following his arrival in the US.
Addressing reporters outside Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida, accompanied by his brother, he remarked: “We inhabit a democratic society that upholds the principle of innocent until proven guilty, and I believe that my brother and I are largely misunderstood.
“There are numerous opinions about us, and much information circulating online regarding us.
“We have never been convicted of any crime in our lives, and we hold no criminal records anywhere in the world, ever.
“This is a democratic society.
“It is meant to operate on the premise of innocent until proven guilty, as my brother and I are, and I think it is incredibly important that we cease to allow media spin, slander, lies, or carefully orchestrated narratives from George Soros-funded operations aimed at tarnishing the reputations of good people who only wish to abide by the law.”
We need your consent to load this rte-player content. We use rte-player to manage extra content that may set cookies on your device and gather data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences
Romanian prosecutors have accused Andrew, 38, his brother Tristan, 36, and two women of establishing a criminal organization in Romania and Britain in early 2021, along with the sexual exploitation of several victims.
The brothers, who hold British and American citizenship, maintain their innocence.
The Romanian organized crime unit DIICOT stated that the two brothers, who traveled to the US together, remain “under judicial supervision” and must “appear before the judicial authorities at each summons.”
“Any bad faith violation of their obligations may result in the replacement of judicial control with a more stringent custodial measure,” DIICOT added.
Romanian aviation news outlet BoardingPass reported that “a Gulfstream G550 private jet took off from Bucharest, Romania, heading for Fort Lauderdale” shortly after 6 am local time (4 am Irish time).
“The flight … will be non-stop and has a duration of 12 hours,” it stated.
Four British women who have accused Andrew Tate of rape expressed last week their concerns that the US government might encourage Romania to relax their travel restrictions.
The Financial Times mentioned that US President Donald Trump’s administration discussed Mr. Tate’s case with Romanian officials earlier this month, urging Bucharest to return the brothers’ passports.
In August 2024, a Romanian court ordered that Andrew Tate be placed under house arrest following his detention as part of an investigation into human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
This house arrest was lifted in January and was substituted with a lesser preventive measure pending the resolution of the criminal investigation, according to his spokesperson.
Tate’s accusers urged the US not to intervene
Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu stated that Mr. Trump’s envoy Richard Grenell raised the matter at the Munich Security Conference in early February.
The four women, who are pursuing a civil case against Mr. Tate in the High Court in the UK, accusing him of rape and coercive control between 2013 and 2016, urged Washington not to involve itself.
“These are women who have been victims of the most severe and horrific alleged crimes,” said Matthew Jury, the victims’ UK lawyer, on BBC Newsnight.
“And to witness the most powerful individual globally supporting their alleged abuser is incredibly traumatizing. It’s a form of retraumatization for them, akin to gaslighting,” he added.
Andrew Tate relocated to Romania several years ago after initially starting a webcam business in the UK.
He gained fame in 2016 when he appeared on the UK’s Big Brother reality show but was removed after a video surfaced showing him assaulting a woman.
He subsequently turned to social media platforms to promote his often misogynistic and polarizing perspectives on achieving success.
Banned from Instagram and TikTok for his controversial views, Andrew Tate has over 10 million followers on X, where he shares his homophobic and racist comments.
A Romanian court has approved a British request to extradite the Tate brothers to the UK but stated that this would occur only after legal proceedings in Romania have concluded.
Last year, the Tates received sentences in a tax fraud case in Britain.
The British government refrained from commenting on whether Andrew Tate should be extradited to the UK.
A spokesperson stated: “This remains an active case, and you wouldn’t expect us to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
“This decision was made by the Romanian courts independently, following due process, while their investigation continues.
“Moreover, the Prime Minister has emphasized that human trafficking must be treated as a global security threat, similar to terrorism.”
The spokesperson did not disclose whether Keir Starmer would raise the case during his meeting with Mr. Trump.
