Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/BUCHAREST: Andrew Tate, a former British-American kickboxer and controversial internet personality, has been arrested in Romania on suspicion of human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group.
Romanian authorities detained Tate and his brother Tristan after raiding his house in the capital, Bucharest.
A clip gone viral on social media showed Tate being led out of the villa in police custody.
The two brothers will be held for interrogation for up to 24 hours, according to Romanian prosecutors.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) said in a statement, without naming the Tate brothers, that two British citizens and two Romanian citizens were suspected of being associated with a criminal group involved in human trafficking.
The probe relates to allegations of organising a criminal group, human trafficking and rape, the directorate said.
The controversial yet super-famous internet star
The former kickboxer, who rose to fame in 2016 after he was removed from British TV show Big Brother, has amassed billions of views across multiple social media platforms with his videos depicting a lifestyle full of fast cars, beautiful women and exotic locales.
He has been banned on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for making extreme remarks, particularly about women.
