Andrew Tate held overnight as police raid homes in Romania

Controversial influencer Andrew Tate has been remanded in custody in a single day as a part of an investigation into new allegations in opposition to him.

He and his brother Tristan have been taken in for questioning by Romania’s severe crime company, DIICOT, as police searched their dwelling.

The web character was already awaiting trial for rape and human trafficking, however might probably now face extra fees of intercourse with, and trafficking in, underage individuals, in addition to money-laundering and making an attempt to affect witnesses, prosecutors say.

Andrew and Tristan Tate, who’ve a large following on social media, have denied all earlier fees in opposition to them.

They have been first detained in Romania in December 2022, then launched from home arrest in August 2023.

In keeping with an announcement from DIICOT earlier within the day, 4 homes have been searched on Wednesday morning within the capital, Bucharest, and in Ilfov county.

The brothers have been then pushed to DIICOT in Bucharest for questioning – and afterwards taken into custody in handcuffs and below armed guard.

They’ve been remanded in custody for twenty-four hours.

In keeping with the brothers’ lawyer, they’re being saved till prosecutors can ask a decide both to detain them for longer, transfer to accommodate arrest or launch them.

Requested by the BBC what he needed to say in regards to the new allegations, Andrew Tate shouted over his shoulder that the prosecutors have been “determined”.

“Wait ’til you see,” he mentioned. “They are saying I’ve lover-boyed the mom of my youngsters. We tricked them into having children.

“Ask them this time what the proof [is].”

He described the file as being “extra pathetic than the primary”.

Earlier on Wednesday, the brothers have been met by a small crowd of reporters and supporters as they arrived on the DIICOT constructing in police vans.

As Andrew Tate entered the constructing he greeted a neighborhood blogger who requested why he was again at DIICOT. Grinning, Tate replied that he “didn’t know”, earlier than shouting by way of the closing door that he was in his “favorite place”.

Two cops, who each had their faces coated by balaclavas, have been seen carrying heavy sacks into the identical constructing – presumably with gadgets taken throughout a search of the brothers’ dwelling and different properties.

Requested to touch upon the newest developments, their lawyer – Eugen Vidineac – mentioned the newest allegations weren’t but clear, as he hadn’t but seen the file.

He mentioned he didn’t but know “what we’re coping with”.

Officers at DIICOT have 24 hours to query the brothers. After that, in the event that they need to remand them in custody, they must deliver them earlier than a decide.

The lawyer mentioned he didn’t count on the brothers to be detained as a result of their actions are already restricted as they await trial for different fees, together with forming and organised crime group and human trafficking.

In an obvious response to the raid, Andrew Tate posted on X (previously Twitter): “The Matrix is actual. They usually have a tried and true playbook.

“Slander is their primary device and the method is the punishment. However sadly for them, Good at all times wins in the long run.”

Andrew Tate is a self-described misogynist and was beforehand banned from social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views.

He has repeatedly claimed Romanian prosecutors don’t have any proof in opposition to him and there’s a conspiracy to silence him.

The Tate brothers, former kickboxers who’re twin UK-US nationals, are accused of exploiting ladies by way of an grownup content material enterprise, which prosecutors allege operated as a prison group.

Two feminine Romanian associates have been additionally named alongside the brothers in an indictment printed in June final yr, and 7 alleged victims have been recognized.

The web personalities are additionally wished within the UK in reference to separate and unrelated sexual offences allegedly dedicated there.