Topline
Online influencer Andrew Tate was served legal papers Wednesday by U.K.-based lawyers representing four women who accused him of rape and sexual assault, threatening to start civil legal proceedings against him within weeks, a day after Romanian investigators said they were upping charges against him to reflect worsening suspicions of human trafficking.
Andrew Tate is in house arrest in Romania and facing human trafficking charges.
Key Facts
Tate was served papers in Bucharest, Romania, where he is under house arrest for separate human trafficking charges, law firm McCue Jury & Partners said Wednesday.
The purpose of the papers was to notify Tate that, depending on his response, legal proceedings “will be initiated” against him in the coming weeks.
The papers detail allegations made by the four women, which include “violent” rapes and sexual assaults, as well as “controlling and coercive” behavior, which occurred between 2013 and 2016 while Tate was living in the United Kingdom, the firm said.
Three women announced plans to bring a civil case against Tate in April, and earlier in June, a fourth woman joined the case.
Forbes reached out to Tate’s lawyer for comment.
Tangent
On Tuesday, a Romanian government agency that is investigating Tate for human trafficking said it was expanding the probe to “human trafficking in continued form,” a more serious accusation than the previous charges he was facing. Tate was arrested in December 2022 on suspicions of organized crime and trafficking after his home was raided and officials found women who told them they were being held there against their will. Tate, his brother and two women who were all arrested in 2022 were moved to house arrest in March while the investigation continues. The case is expected to be sent to trial later this month. Tate denied the human trafficking claims in a June 1 interview with BBC.
Key Background
Tate is a former kickboxer who rose to prominence when he began offering online courses intended to advise men on masculinity and discipline. Tate, who has faced criticism for making misogynistic remarks in his popular social media posts, moved from the UK to Romania in 2017, saying that he preferred living in places where “corruption is accessible to everybody.” His public posts and comments have garnered continual controversy—for example, in 2017 amid the MeToo movement, he said women should “bear some responsibility for rape.” He has been suspended from various platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, for hate speech and spreading misinformation about Covid-19.
Further Reading
Romanian authorities change human trafficking charge against Andrew Tate (Guardian)
Andrew Tate Detained In Romania For Third Month: His Human Trafficking Charges Explained And A Timeline Of The Social Media Star’s Controversies (Forbes)
British Woman Alleges Andrew Tate Raped And Choked Her In 2014 (Forbes)
Three alleged assault victims launch UK civil claim against Andrew Tate (Guardian)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/06/14/andrew-tate-rape-accusers-threaten-civil-suit-within-weeks-as-human-trafficking-probe-expands/