Andrew Tate loses appeal against house arrest in human trafficking case

Andrew Tate has lost an appeal against a court’s decision to keep him under house arrest, his spokesperson has said.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal has now ruled against the 36-year-old ex-professional kickboxer’s appeal, which challenged a court’s decision on 23 June to extend the house arrest measure for 30 more days as the criminal case continues.

The decision was made days after Romania’s anti-organised crime agency, DIICOT, formally indicted Tate, his brother Tristan and two Romanian women.

All four suspects have been charged with human trafficking offences and of constituting an organised crime group.

All four suspects have denied the allegations.

Twitter/@Cobratate

At the end of last month, the controversial social media star had his house arrest extended for another 30 days.

Responding to the news, the 36-year-old said he has 'not been free' since December 2022.

He wrote on Twitter: "After 176 days of imprisonment, both in the dungeron and in my home - the legal limit of holding a man without charge expired.

"They instantly charged me - and asked the judge to extend house arrest.

"The judge has agreed this morning.

"I remain locked in my house.

"I have not been free since December of last year."

Before the appeal court's final ruling today (Thursday 6 July), two judges disagreed on whether or not to uphold the house arrest measure.

This meant a third judge was brought in to preside over the ruling.

Twitter

Mateea Petrescu, the Tate brothers’ spokesperson, said the judges’ initial decision was not unanimous and that offered hope – even though they lost the appeal – because for the first time since their arrest 'a judge has ruled that the brothers should be allowed to move freely in Romania without restrictions'.

She said: “We consider this to be a great step toward the rightful exoneration of Andrew and Tristan."

Petrescu added that while the brothers 'have suffered important damages to their reputation', they 'remain optimistic and continue to put their faith in the Romanian justice system'.

Tate and his brother were first arrested at their home in Bucharest on 29 December and remained in custody until 31 March, after which they were placed under house arrest.

At the initial time of arrest, DIICOT said the six victims they had initially identified had been subjected to 'acts of physical violence and mental coercion' by the alleged crime group.