Internet grifter and social media misogynist Andrew Tate will remain behind bars for now a Romanian appeals court has ruled.
The former kickboxer was arrested, along with his brother Tristan, on suspicion of rape and sex trafficking in December.
A recent convert to Islam, Andrew Tate arrived at court with a copy of the Quran.
The Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) had been investigating the brothers for allegedly kidnapping women and using them to film pornographic videos marketed to websites like OnlyFans.
The agency said the two British citizens lured victims involved in the case by using pretenses of love — and later intimidation, constant surveillance, and other control tactics to force them into performing pornographic acts intended to reap “important financial benefits,” according to ABC News.
Andrew and Tristan Tate emerged on Romanian authorities’ radar after the U.S. Embassy was alerted to an American woman being held against her will at the duo’s Romanian estate.
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Two women were discovered in a previous raid – an American and a Romanian.
A total of four individuals – including two Romanian citizens – are facing trafficking charges in DIICOT’s investigation amid claims of organized crime, trafficking, and rape.
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The 36-year-old has been banned from Tik Tok, Facebook, Instagram – and before Elon Musk’s takeover, Twitter – due to sexist and misogynistic posts that were demoralizing and denigrating to women.
But hubris got the best of the right-wing influencer and Hustler University head when he trolled teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg in a December tweet.
In his ruling, the judge acknowledged the possibility of Andrew and Tristan Tate attempting to avoid justice by fleeing the country.
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“The possibility that the suspects would evade investigation, leave Romania and settle in countries that do not allow extradition given their financial possibilities and public comments to that regard cannot be ignored,” the judge said.
At least 15 luxury vehicles and 10 properties belonging to the Tates have been seized by Romanian officials.
Tate left his home country for Romania following a sexual assault investigation in the United Kingdom.
Tate and his co-defendants can be held up to an additional six months while awaiting trial, leaving their social media accounts mercifully devoid of new material in the meantime.
Original reporting by Dan Sadden-Hall and AJ McDougall at The Daily Beast.
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