Controversial influencer and former professional kickboxerAndrew Tate has been released from house arrest in Romania, pending trial.
Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested in March and charged in June on rape and human trafficking offences, which they deny.
On Friday, their house arrest was lifted and they are now allowed to move around the Romanian capital, Bucharest and in the Ilfov district where they live. They are required to report to the police when directed to and also inform them of a change of address. Two Romanian associates are accused alongside them, who they are banned from contacting. They are also not allowed to contact the alleged victims, their families and witnesses in the case. Failure to follow these rules could mean a reimposition of house arrest.
Romanian prosecutors reportedly believe that the Tates were recruiting and exploiting women for the creation of pornographic clips, for distribution via sites like OnlyFans.
Tate first rose to public consciousness as a guest on the U.K.’s “Big Brother” reality show in 2016, where he was criticized for homophobic and racist comments made on Twitter. He was eventually kicked off the show after a video surfaced in which he appeared to be hitting a woman with a belt. Tate and the woman claimed their actions were consensual.
He has since built a following online peddling advice on masculinity and money. He was banned from Twitter in May 2017 before being reinstated by Elon Musk after Musk purchased the social media platform last year.
“I see lots of girls sticking up for me, lots of people defending me, I’ve not seen a single person stand up and say that I have hurt them, not one,” Tate told the media on Friday after he was released from house arrest.
“We’ve been completely innocent since the beginning of this, and I have to give absolute faith to the Romanian judicial system for finally making the right decision and letting us free,” Tate added. “I’m sure in the end we will be absolutely exonerated. I’ve done nothing wrong, God knows I’ve done nothing wrong, in my heart, I know I’ve done nothing wrong. I look forward to being completely exonerated in due time.”
