Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has initiated a criminal investigation into right-wing “manosphere” influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate. The siblings are currently facing allegations of rape and human trafficking in Romania.
Following a preliminary inquiry, Uthmeier’s office collaborated with law enforcement to review evidence related to Andrew and Tristan Tate, aged 38 and 36, respectively. The criminal investigation was officially launched a week after their arrival in Fort Lauderdale last Thursday, where they are now under scrutiny in both Florida and Romania.
Uthmeier stated, “Based on a comprehensive evaluation of the evidence, I have instructed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to conduct search warrants and issue subpoenas as part of the ongoing criminal investigation into the Tate brothers.”
Andrew Tate gained prominence in the 2000s as a professional kickboxer in the UK. He later built a substantial online following by producing anti-women content disguised as self-help for young men, often referred to as red pill content. In 2022, he was banned from multiple social media platforms.
In the same year, Andrew and Tristan Tate, both dual U.S.-U.K. citizens, were arrested in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking. They were indicted by Romanian authorities in 2023 for allegedly running a criminal gang to exploit women. The Tates have consistently denied all allegations of sexual misconduct in both criminal investigations and civil courts.
The Tate brothers’ lawyer, Joseph McBride, released a statement on X, formerly Twitter, criticizing Uthmeier’s handling of the case. McBride labeled Uthmeier’s statement as “inflammatory” and “biased.”
In December, a Romanian court ruled that the Tate brothers’ case could not proceed to trial due to procedural irregularities. However, the case remains open for further legal proceedings, as reported by The Associated Press.
The Romanian government lifted international travel restrictions last Thursday following pressure from the Trump administration, as reported by the Financial Times. Despite this, Trump denied any involvement in the Tate brothers’ travel arrangements.
Upon their arrival in Fort Lauderdale, the Tate brothers were met with disapproval from Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, who stated, “Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct.”
