Right-wing influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have arrived in the United States after Romanian authorities lifted travel restrictions previously imposed due to an ongoing investigation into allegations including human trafficking, Al Jazeera reports.
The brothers, both holding dual United Kingdom and US citizenship, departed Bucharest on Thursday morning via private jet, bound for Florida.
Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, confirmed they had approved a request to modify the travel ban. While the Tates are now permitted to travel, DIICOT emphasized in a statement that they remain “under judicial supervision” and are required to respond to any summons from Romanian judicial authorities. Failure to comply “in bad faith” could result in harsher custodial measures.
The Tate brothers were initially detained in Romania in December 2022 on accusations of establishing a criminal organization in Romania and the UK in 2021. The charges include human trafficking, trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, and money laundering. Both Andrew, 38, a former kickboxer, and Tristan, 36, vehemently deny all accusations.
In addition to the lifting of travel restrictions, a Bucharest court recently ruled in favor of a Tate appeal to unfreeze multiple assets, according to their spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu. These assets include six luxury vehicles, land and properties, company shares, and all previously frozen bank accounts.
The Tates’ departure for the US comes amidst scrutiny surrounding alleged external pressure to lift the travel ban. Romania’s Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu acknowledged mentioning the brothers during a brief meeting with Richard Grenell, special envoy to former US President Donald Trump, at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month. However, he denied facing any pressure to lift the restrictions, despite reports in the Financial Times alleging that members of the Trump administration had urged Bucharest to do so.
Romanian authorities formally indicted the Tates, along with two Romanian women, last year. All four have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The initial criminal case faced a setback in December when the Bucharest court of appeals cited flaws in the indictment and returned the files to prosecutors. While a subsequent court ruling in April allowed for a trial to commence, a date has yet to be set.
Pending the completion of the criminal investigation, the Tates remain under “judicial control,” a lighter preventative measure requiring them to regularly check in with local police.
Furthermore, a British arrest warrant on allegations of sexual aggression between 2012 and 2015 has been issued for the Tates, who were previously expected to be extradited to the UK following the conclusion of the Romanian trial proceedings.
In a joint statement released on Thursday, the four British women who brought forward the allegations expressed “disbelief” at the lifting of travel restrictions. They stated that there is now “a major risk” that criminal proceedings in Romania will be halted and called on authorities to “take action … to ensure he faces justice in the UK.”
