Romanian officials are puzzled by a luxury car that was confiscated in a lawsuit against media influencer Andrew Tate on Saturday, January 14, 2023.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
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Romanian officials are puzzled by a luxury car that was confiscated in a lawsuit against media influencer Andrew Tate on Saturday, January 14, 2023.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
Romanian authorities have seized a stockpile of luxury cars, watches and cash worth $3.9 million as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation involving a male-dominated influencer British-American Andrew Tate.
Tate, a 36-year-old known for her racist views, was detained in Bucharest last month for rape, human trafficking and running an organized crime ring. Tate’s brother and two Romanian nationals were included in the initial round of arrests.
On Saturday, Romanian authorities went to the Tates complex in Bucharest to seize 29 properties, including 15 sports cars and 14 luxury watches. according to a statement from the Romanian Asset Management and Recovery Authority. Along with several amounts in multiple currencies, the total value of the goods is estimated at 18 million lei ($3.9 million).
The statement did not explicitly name Tate, but image published by Related press and Reuters shows half a dozen masked Romanian agents pulling away a blue Rolls-Royce identical to the one described in the Romanian press release.
A BMW, Porsche and Aston Martin, each with a number plate bearing the letter “T8”, is said to be being towed out of the mansion, which itself is decorated with the name “TATE” in fluorescent lights.
Neither Romanian authorities nor Tate’s attorney responded to NPR’s request for comment.
A police officer walks past luxury cars confiscated during a lawsuit against media influencer Andrew Tate, on the outskirts of Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, January 14, 2023.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
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A police officer walks past luxury cars confiscated during a lawsuit against media influencer Andrew Tate, on the outskirts of Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, January 14, 2023.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
On Tuesday, a judge upheld an earlier move to extend the arrest of Tate and three alleged accomplices from 24 hours to 30 days. A day later, Tate lost a second appeal challenging his foreclosure, Related press report.
Romania’s organized crime agency, DIICOT, said in its initial arrest statement that it had identified six victims of sexual exploitation in connection with the scheme. According to the agency, the women are lured by fake loves, then subjected to “physical violence and emotional coercion”.
DIICOT said the victims were monitored and forced to “perform pornographically”. The agency said at least one victim was raped on two separate occasions.
DIICOT has executed a total of 12 home search warrants as part of its investigation to date.
A Twitter account of Tate, updated daily during his incarceration, posted on confiscation date that “anyone smart enough to understand the American System as unfair will be overwhelmed by the injustice of the Romanian System.”
“Anyone who believes I’m a trafficker is really an idiot,” the post also read.
Andrew Tate (third photo from right) and his brother Tristan Tate (second from right) are handcuffed and escorted by police at a court in Bucharest on January 10, 2023 to hear on the appeal of them for pre-trial detention for alleged human trafficking, rape and criminal gang formation.
Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images
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Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images
Andrew Tate (third photo from right) and his brother Tristan Tate (second from right) are handcuffed and escorted by police at a court in Bucharest on January 10, 2023 to hear on the appeal of them for pre-trial detention for alleged human trafficking, rape and criminal gang formation.
Daniel Mihailescu/AFP via Getty Images
Tate, a former professional kickboxer who claims to be a men’s life coach, known for viral videos containing false claims about women promote women’s subjugation, domestic violence, and men’s wealth.
Tate has been banned on every major social media platform with little impact on his overall popularity among Gen Z men. He got his Twitter account back after Elon Musk took over the company last year.
That account brought him back to public attention the week he was arrested, thanks in part to a Twitter feud with climate activist Greta Thunberg.
The two exchanged comments back and forth on the platform after Tate bragged about the emissions generated by his luxury cars.
About half of those cars Romania officials say can now be auctioned with court approval.
