Andrew Tate’s trial on charges of rape and human trafficking can start, a Romanian court rules

By Stephen Mcgrath, The Associated Press on April 26, 2024.

FILE - A police officer escorts Andrew Tate, center, handcuffed, from the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Romanian court orders trial can start for influencer Andrew Tate on charges of human trafficking and rape. (AP Photo/ Alexandru Dobre, File)

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) – A court in Romania’s capital on Friday ruled that a trial can start in the case of influencer Andrew Tate, who is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

The Bucharest Tribunal ruled that prosecutors’ case file against Tate met the legal criteria but did not set a date for the trial to begin.

Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, said the ruling will be appealed.

Tate, 37, was arrested in December 2022 near Bucharest along with his brother Tristan Tate and two Romanian women.

Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year. They have denied the allegations.