Controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan have been released from custody to house arrest, as ruled by the Court of Appeal in Bucharest. Two associates, Georgiana Naghel and Luana Radu, were also freed and ordered to stay in their respective dwellings unless they have judicial permission to leave. The brothers have been detained since December and are being investigated for allegations of rape, people trafficking and forming an organised crime group, all of which they deny.
Lawyers for Mr Tate argued that keeping him in preventative custody was too harsh when other options such as house arrest were available. Leaked court documents revealed testimony from alleged victims claiming to be forced to earn €10,000 (£8,800) a month on social media platforms under the threat of physical violence, as well as debts being used as a form of psychological coercion. Since investigations began last April, six women have been identified by prosecutors as victims, yet no charges have been brought against the brothers or their Romanian associates.
In 2016, Mr Tate was removed from British TV show Big Brother over a video which appeared to show him attacking a woman. He went on to gain notoriety online, with Twitter banning him for saying women should “bear responsibility” for being sexually assaulted. Despite social media bans, he gained popularity among young men by promoting a hyper-masculine, ultra-luxurious lifestyle.
The ruling by the Court of Appeal in Bucharest has replaced the latest period of custody, which was to end on 29 April. The four individuals have been ordered to remain in their respective dwellings unless they have judicial permission to leave. Although investigations are still ongoing, no charges have been brought against the brothers or their associates. It remains to be seen whether the house arrest ruling will be enough to keep Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan out of trouble.