Andrew Tate to be detained in Romania for 30 days on human trafficking, rape charges

Controversial internet personality Andrew Tate will be detained in Romania for 30 days on charges of human trafficking and rape, officials said.

Tate, his brother Tristan Tate and two Romanian women were put in 30-day, pre-trial detention in Bucharest on Friday, according to Ramona Bolla, a spokesperson for Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism, or DIICOT.

© Provided by ABC News Observator Antena 1 via AP – PHOTO: In this grab taken from video released by Observator Antena 1, Social Media personality Andrew Tate is led away by police, in the Ilfov area, north of Bucharest, Romania, Dec. 29, 2022.

The suspects have already appealed the court’s decision, which will be heard on Jan. 5, 2023, she said.

The extended detainment follows raids on the four suspects’ Romanian properties on Thursday. They were initially detained for 24 hours on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organized crime group, though prosecutors asked a Bucharest court to extend their detention amid the ongoing investigation, Bolla said.

MORE: Controversial internet personality Andrew Tate banned from TikTok, Instagram and YouTube

DIICOT said it has identified six women — one American, two Moldovan and three Romanian citizens — who were allegedly sexually exploited by the organized criminal group.

Andrew Tate’s lawyer, Eugen Vidineac, told reporters Friday that the court would make a final decision after considering the appeal. From the defense’s perspective there were “no grounds” for the order, which he said was the most drastic preventative measure possible.

Prosecutors said the Tate brothers, who are British citizens, have been under criminal investigation since April.

© Provided by ABC News Inquam Photos/Cosmin Enache via Reuters – PHOTO: Eugen Constantin Vidineac delivers a short press statement after defending Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate in court, in Bucharest, Romania, Dec. 30, 2022.

A former professional kickboxer, Andrew Tate first came into the public eye when he was ejected from the U.K. reality show Big Brother in 2016.

The 36-year-old gained notoriety for misogynistic comments and hate speech and was banned from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok in August following backlash over his comments about women.

He was banned from Twitter in 2017 after reportedly saying that victims of sexual assault must “bear some responsibility” in response to the rise of the #MeToo movement, though was recently allowed back on the platform.