Tate brothers, who face human trafficking charges in Romania, are back in the US: What to know

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are charged with human trafficking in Romania, arrived Thursday in the U.S. after authorities lifted travel restrictions on the siblings, who have millions of online followers.

The brothers landed in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., around midday.

The brothers, U.S.-U.K. dual citizens who have amassed millions of followers online, were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year on charges alleging they participated in a criminal ring that lured women to Romania, where they were sexually exploited, according to The Associated Press.

Andrew Tate was also charged with rape. The siblings deny the allegations against them.

*Andrew Tate, right, and his brother Tristan leave a tribunal in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)*

In a news conference Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said he found out about the brothers traveling to his state through media reports.

"Clearly the federal government has jurisdiction whether they want to rebuff his entry into the United States and I have confidence that whether it's Pam Bondi or Kristi Noem, they will be looking at that," DeSantis said, referring to the attorney general and secretary of Homeland Security.

The governor went on to say that Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is learning what the state of Florida can do on their end.

"The reality is, no, Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that type of conduct," DeSantis said.

Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, said in a statement to the AP Thursday that prosecutors approved a request to change the travel restrictions on the Tates, but didn't say who made the request.

The brothers' travel to Florida comes amid a scheduled court hearing concerning a defamation suit they filed in Palm Beach County, their lawyer told NBC. He said their travel plans were just a coincidence.

Andrew Tate, 38, a former professional kickboxer and right-wing influencer who has amassed more than 10 million followers on X, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors in Romania have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him. He and Tristan Tate, 36, are vocal supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Tates' departure from Romania comes after Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu said this month that an official in the Trump administration expressed interest in the brothers’ case at the Munich Security Conference. The minister insisted no pressure was applied to lift restrictions on the Tates after a Financial Times report on the meeting caused a stir in Romania.

The Tate brothers' legal battles, however, are not limited to Romania. Four British women who accused Andrew Tate of sexual violence and physical abuse are suing him in the U.K., after the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute him.

The women said Thursday in a joint statement that they are “in disbelief and feel re-traumatized” by news that the travel restrictions were lifted.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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