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A Romanian court on Wednesday upheld the second 30-day arrest of schism influencer and former professional kickboxer Andrew Tate, who is being held on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, officials said. said.
Ramona Bora, spokeswoman for Romania’s anti-organized crime agency DIICOT, said Tate had dismissed an appeal against a judge’s decision to extend the second arrest for 30 days on January 20.
Tate, 36, a British and US citizen with nearly five million followers on Twitter, arrived at the Court of Appeals in Bucharest handcuffed by his brother Tristan.
The court has dismissed all four appeals and he will remain in custody until February 27 as prosecutors continue to investigate the case. They had previously lost an appeal to his 30-day extension earlier.
According to documents seen by the Associated Press outlining the January 20 decision, the judge identified “a particular danger for the defendants” and victims who were “increasedly vulnerable in search of better life opportunities.” He said that he considered the ability to do so.
Ioan Griga, the attorney representing the Tate brothers, told media on Wednesday before the court ruled.
“The probation period initially considered the value of this precaution for 30 days, but it was significantly diluted by other evidence presented during that time,” he said.
As the Tates left the courtroom after Wednesday’s hearing, Andrew Tate said: The truth of the matter will soon be known.”
Tate, who has been living in Romania since 2017, was reportedly banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing misogyny and hate speech. He claimed there was “zero evidence”, instead claiming it was a political attack to silence him.
“My lawsuit is not criminal, it’s political. It’s not about justice or fairness. It’s about attacking my influence in the world,” read a post that appeared on his Twitter account on Sunday.
An online petition launched in January to free the brothers has attracted nearly 100,000 signatures.
After the Tates and two women were arrested, Romania’s anti-organized crime agency DIICOT said in a statement that they had been subjected to “acts of physical violence and mental coercion” and had been sexually abused in the trafficking case. It said it had identified six victims. Exploited by members of a suspected criminal group.
Victims were lured under the pretense of love, then subjected to intimidation, surveillance, and other control tactics, and coerced into engaging in pornographic acts for substantial financial gain, according to the agency.
In early January, Romanian authorities descended on a compound near Bucharest, towing blue Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Porsches and other luxury cars.
Prosecutors say that if the owner can prove that the money was obtained through illegal activities such as trafficking, the property will be used for investigation costs and compensation for victims. Tate also did not appeal the foreclosure.
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