TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s lawyer basic introduced Tuesday that his workplace has opened a prison investigation into Andrew and Tristan Tate, who’re charged with human trafficking in Romania, days after they returned to the U.S.
Legal professional Basic James Uthmeier introduced on social media that he directed his workplace to work with legislation enforcement to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the Tate brothers.
“Based mostly on a radical assessment of the proof, I’ve directed the Workplace of Statewide Prosecution to execute search warrants and situation subpoenas within the now-active prison investigation into the Tate brothers,” Uthmeier mentioned.
After the Tates landed in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis advised reporters that the brothers weren’t welcome in Florida and that he would have the lawyer basic look at whether or not the state could have any jurisdiction over their alleged crimes.
Throughout an look Monday on the PPD Podcast, Andrew Tate mentioned the governor was caving to media stress. Tate mentioned he has a U.S. passport and a proper to go to his dwelling nation. He mentioned he has damaged no legal guidelines and that he has by no means even been tried, not to mention convicted, of a criminal offense.
The Tates, who’re twin U.S.-British residents, had been arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted final 12 months in Romania on costs they participated in a prison ring that lured girls to that nation, the place they had been sexually exploited. Andrew Tate was additionally charged with rape. They deny the allegations.
Andrew Tate, 38, is a former skilled kickboxer and self-described misogynist who’s a vastly profitable social media determine, attracting thousands and thousands of followers, a lot of them younger males and schoolchildren drawn in by the luxurious way of life the influencer tasks on-line. He and his 36-year-old brother, Tristan, are vocal supporters of President Donald Trump.
Andrew Tate beforehand was banned from TikTok, YouTube and Fb for hate speech and his misogynistic feedback, together with that ladies ought to bear accountability for getting sexually assaulted.
The Tates left Romania after Overseas Minister Emil Hurezeanu mentioned this month {that a} Trump administration official expressed curiosity within the brothers’ case on the current Munich Safety Convention.
