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American-British masculinist influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were apprehended on Saturday, July 18 in Miami at the request of the United Kingdom, which is seeking their extradition.
The operation was carried out by the US Marshals Service, the federal agency tasked with tracking down fugitives. TMZ released a video showing the two men handcuffed and then escorted to vehicles.
A US Department of Justice spokesperson told CBS News that marshals in the Southern District of Florida had made the arrests as part of an extradition procedure in line with the treaties governing this type of transfer.
The US Marshals Service confirmed to the BBC that the two brothers had been taken into custody.
59 charges in total
The British prosecution service (Crown Prosecution Service, CPS) announced that the arrest followed 38 new charges, bringing the total to 59 counts, 42 for Andrew and 17 for Tristan, according to the BBC.
These accusations include rape, trafficking for the purpose of exploitation, and offences relating to indecent images of children.
Seven alleged victims
"These charging decisions followed receipt of a further file of evidence from Bedfordshire Police and bring the total number of alleged victims in this case to seven," said Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS's special crime division. The alleged offences are said to have taken place between July 2010 and August 2017.
The two brothers, who hold dual British and American citizenship, have been detained "pending ongoing legal proceedings," said Karena Thomas, of Bedfordshire Police. Prosecutors must now begin the process of returning them to the United Kingdom.
A case open for years
The matter dates back to an initial investigation into allegations from 2012, involving three complainants, which had led to 21 charges in 2024, Radio-Canada reminds us.
The investigation then expanded to four additional alleged victims. In 2024, Bedfordshire Police had obtained European arrest warrants to bring the brothers back from Romania, where they reside, according to the BBC.
In June, they lost an appeal seeking to learn the identity of their accusers.
The defence denounces a political maneuver
Their lawyer, Joseph McBride, argued that his clients were innocent and described the new charges as a "political hit," claiming they were intended to counter a defamation action the two brothers launched in the United States. He said he was convinced they would be freed.
The complainants' lawyer calls for a trial
For his part, Matt Jury, who represents several alleged victims, said it was time for the Tate brothers to "face justice," accusing them of being among those responsible for "some of the most serious offences," according to the AP news agency.
A former kickboxer, Andrew Tate, 39, rose to prominence from 2016 through videos promoting masculinist ideas and a lavish lifestyle. Followed by 10.8 million subscribers on X and close to Donald Trump, he was banned from Instagram and TikTok over his misogynistic remarks.
The two brothers had already spent a few months in custody in Romania and also face accusations of tax evasion and money laundering in the United Kingdom.
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