Lawyers representing four women who accuse social media influencer Andrew Tate of rape and sexual assault wrote to UK police to request his detention over fears he would flee Romania.
Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan, 35, were detained after a European arrest warrant was issued by UK authorities for charges dating back to 2012-2015, the pair’s representative said.
They are due before the Bucharest Court of Appeal on Tuesday for a decision on whether the warrant should be executed.
A statement from law firm McCue Jury & Partners, the lawyers acting on behalf of Tate’s British accusers, said: “Last week, we received information that Tate might have been planning to flee Romania, where he is due to stand trial for separate allegations of rape and human trafficking.
“We wrote to the British police to bring this to their attention and to urge them to immediately seek a warrant for Tate’s detention in Romania and extradition to the UK.”
The law firm said the four British accusers were the subject of an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary.
The Hertfordshire investigation was closed in 2019.
It is understood the current arrest warrant, issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court, relates to other alleged offences being investigated by Bedfordshire Police.
The Tate brothers are charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women in a separate case in Romania after being arrested in the country’s capital in December 2022 alongside two Romanian women.
All four deny the allegations.
In a short statement issued on Tuesday, the Tates’ representative said: “This bewildering revival of decade-old accusations has left the Tate brothers dismayed and deeply troubled.
“They categorically reject all charges and express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence.
“The Tate brothers assert that the timing and circumstances surrounding the reappearance of these allegations raise serious questions about the motives behind this legal action.
“The suggestion that Mr Tate’s rise to fame may have played a role in these developments adds another layer of distress and concern.”
Commenting on the Tate brothers being detained, Matthew Jury, managing partner at McCue Jury & Partners, said: “Today’s news is very welcome as it has been a significant concern to many that Tate would seek to avoid justice in Romania and abroad.
“We are grateful to the British authorities for taking our concerns seriously and issuing an arrest warrant.”
Mr Jury said Andrew Tate had “spread a vast amount of disinformation about the criminal allegations he faces in the UK” since his first arrest in Romania.
The kickboxer’s representative said the pair “unequivocally deny all allegations”, and are “fully committed to challenging these accusations with unwavering determination and resolve”.
The statement added: “As the Bucharest Court of Appeal convenes today, the Tate brothers are still hopeful that the court will consider the broader implications of this case and its potential impact on justice and due process.
“They remain resolute in their pursuit of truth and justice, confident that the legal system will ultimately vindicate their innocence.”
The Tate brothers are due in court at 10.30am UK time, the representative added.
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