The Tate brothers left Romania and are facing an active criminal investigation in Florida. Here’s what we know – #LockThemUp

Self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan recently arrived in Florida from Romania, where they are facing charges of human trafficking, setting off a flurry of concern and anger – and a state-level criminal investigation. Andrew Tate gained notoriety as an online influencer and has amassed a massive following peddling sexist content about male dominance. He and Tristan were previously banned from leaving Romania after being arrested in 2022 and charged with forming an organized criminal group and human trafficking. The brothers, who have dual American and British citizenship, left Romania on a private jet at the end of February after Romanian authorities lifted travel restrictions on them. The brothers have denied all wrongdoing, and Andrew Tate has made contradictory claims on X about their plans to return to Romania or stay in Florida. Here’s how we got here. What are the Tate brothers known for? Andrew Tate, 38, has faced allegations of sexism, hateful behavior and violence against women since he was removed from the British reality TV show “Big Brother” in 2016 after video emerged that appeared to show him attacking a woman with a belt. Tate turned to social media, where he has cultivated a following of supporters – many of whom are young men and boys – promoting his troubling take on modern masculinity. (…) Despite reports the Trump administration pressed Romanian authorities to ease restrictions on the brothers, White House officials have said the US government had no direct role in bringing the Tates to Florida. Romania’s foreign minister said he did not face pressure to lift restrictions on the social media influencer. When asked about the Tates return to the United States, Trump said he knew nothing about it. (…) Andrew Tate spoke to reporters outside the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida after arriving from Romania a little over a week ago. “I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There’s a lot of opinions about us – all the things that go around about us on the internet,” he said. “It’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, as my brother and I are.” Days later, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced an active criminal investigation into the brothers, led by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, adding that Florida has “zero tolerance for people who abuse women and girls.” CNN has reached out to Uthmeier’s office for more information about the investigation. “Today, Attorney General James Uthmeier threw ethics law out of the window when he publicly took a side in an ongoing Florida lawsuit,” McBride, the brothers’ defense attorney, said on X Tuesday. The Tate brothers have since taken aim at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who previously suggested they were not welcome in his state, and Uthmeier for pursuing the investigation

via cnn: The Tate brothers left Romania and are facing an active criminal investigation in Florida. Here’s what we know