Romanian Court Replaces Andrew Tate House Arrest Punishment With Lighter Conditions

A Romanian court lifted the house arrest order against internet personality Andrew Tate on Tuesday and replaced it with a less strict preventative measure, allowing him to travel freely while a criminal investigation continues. The decision allows him to travel throughout Romania, if he complies with certain legal conditions.

Tate and his brother Tristan, along with four others, have been investigated since August on a second criminal case charging organized crime, human trafficking, trafficking minors, sexual abuse of a minor, and money laundering. All the defendants, including the Tate brothers, have denied the charges.

This development comes after a December ruling in which the Bucharest Court of Appeals dismissed charges in an earlier case due to a flawed indictment and returned the case to prosecutors. The ruling delivered a significant setback to Romania’s anti-organized crime prosecuting unit, DIICOT.

Under the new conditions, known as judicial control, Tate will be required to report regularly to the police, maintain no contact with other suspects or witnesses in the case, and remain in Romania until the investigation concludes. His freedom within the country is now permitted, but he cannot leave Romania.

Among the most prominent names involved in the ongoing human trafficking trials in Romania are the Tate brothers, holding dual US and British citizenship and to fame previously, having risen because of their controversial online personas. Along with the proceedings that are now underway, the brothers have had a British arrest warrant issued and are to be extradited back to Britain after the Romanian trial is completed.

The legal team of Tate expressed that such a ruling brings “a decisive step forward, though the investigations on the charge remain open-ended.”.