Florida’s attorney general has opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan, who traveled to the U.S. last week.
James Uthmeier yesterday confirmed on social media an investigation was underway. “Last week, I directed my office to work with our law enforcement partners to conduct a preliminary inquiry into Andrew and Tristan Tate,” he wrote.
“Based on a thorough review of the evidence, I’ve directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to execute search warrants and issue subpoenas in the now-active criminal investigation into the Tate brothers.”
Andrew Tate, a self-described misogynist and podcaster, has a huge online following, especially among young men. He is known for appearing on Big Brother in the UK before leaving the country with his brother to live in Romania, where they both now face charges.
The Tates’ lawyer, Joseph McBride, responded to Uthmeier with a statement saying: “Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier threw ethics law out of the window when he publicly took a side in an ongoing Florida lawsuit where Andrew and Tristan Tate are suing a Florida woman for orchestrating a sophisticated plot to use sex as a weapon to ruin their lives.”
McBride called Uthmeier’s statements “inflammatory, biased, and designed to affect the outcome” of the Tates’ civil suit. “Do not be surprised if opposing counsel motions the court in our civil case to stop proceedings based on Mr. Uthmeier’s unconscionable statements.”
The influencer brothers flew into the U.S. last week from Romania, where Andrew Tate is facing rape and human trafficking charges and Tristan Tate human trafficking charges, all of which the brothers deny. Their move to the States followed the lifting of a travel ban.
The Tates are also facing a civil suit in the U.S. from a woman who claims they coerced her into sex work and subsequently defamed her when she gave evidence against them in a Romanian court.
In the UK, they face separate rape and human trafficking charges, and a civil case brought against them by four women. They deny all these charges.
McBride also made a series of accusations against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, claiming he “hates Tate and Trump for being actual men,” and that Uthmeier is DeSantis’ “pathetic lap dog.”
McBride was responding to DeSantis, who late last week said Florida “is not a place where you are welcome” in reference to the Tate brothers.
The BBC reports that the Tates are required to return to Romania at the end of this month.
