Early this morning, Romanian police conducted new raids at the home of Andrew Tate, a controversial internet influencer currently awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape, and forming an organized crime group to exploit women for creating pornographic content. The Associated Press reported that masked officers searched Tate's large property on the outskirts of Bucharest, as part of an ongoing investigation.

Mateea Petrescu, a spokesperson for Tate, confirmed the raids, stating that the search warrant involved suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering. However, Petrescu did not comment on any allegations involving minors. The Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) emphasized that those under investigation still enjoy legal rights and the presumption of innocence throughout the process.

Andrew Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan, 36, were arrested in 2022 near Bucharest, along with two Romanian women who allegedly assisted them. All four were formally charged last year with human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal group for sexual exploitation. The accused have denied all charges.

In April, a Bucharest court ruled that the prosecutor's case met legal requirements for trial, although a start date has not yet been set. The case had been debated in the pretrial chamber for several months, where the defendants challenged the evidence presented against them.

Following their arrest in 2022, the Tate brothers were held in police custody for three months before being placed under house arrest. Their movements were initially restricted to Bucharest and Ilfov counties, and later to the entire territory of Romania.

Andrew Tate, known for his misogynistic views and boasting 9.9 million followers on the social media platform "X", has consistently claimed that the prosecution lacks evidence and that he is the target of a political conspiracy. His accounts on various social media platforms were previously banned due to his controversial statements and hate speech.