Tate brothers exploited women using 'lover boy' model, UK alleges

Andrew and Tristan Tate used a "lover boy" model to attract and then exploit women, according to British authorities in court documents made public in the US. 

The basis of the prosecutors' case against the brothers, UK law enforcement said, was that they encouraged women to travel to their base in Romania with the promise of romantic relationships, before coercing them to create online ​pornography.

Andrew Tate, ‌39, and Tristan Tate, 38, were arrested in Miami on 18 July after the UK requested their extradition to face allegations of rape, ​assault and facilitating trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis denied bail for the social media influencers following a hearing in August in Miami federal court.

On Thursday, Judge Louis asked their lawyers to propose dates for their final extradition hearings, but no date has been set.

Both Tate brothers, who have dual US and British citizenship, have denied any wrongdoing.

Joseph McBride, a lawyer for the Tate brothers, said the accusations could not be "meaningfully tested" because the UK had not disclosed the names ‌of the accusers to the defence.

In a statement, Mr McBride said that "no American court should be asked to surrender a person to a foreign country on the word of secret accusers".

In support of its extradition request, the British embassy in Washington last month sent the US a series of documents, which included written summaries of the cases against the brothers by a detective with Bedfordshire Police.

According to ​the summary, Andrew Tate persuaded vulnerable women he had formed relationships with to relocate ​to Romania on the promise of earning money as part of his webcam business. ⁠

Once there, the women became financially dependent on the Tate brothers, who often confiscated their passports and "used and threatened physical and sexual violence in ⁠order to maintain control and compliance", the summary alleged.

More from Sky News:
Refugee who stabbed dog walker detained
Lord Jeffrey Archer dies 'suddenly and peacefully'

Several sets of charges

The Tate brothers, both former kickboxers, have built a large online following promoting their views on masculinity and wealth. Andrew Tate has previously described himself as a misogynist.

The pair claim their online personas are characters and not a reflection of their true personalities.

They face a total of 59 charges brought by British authorities relating to four alleged victims between July 2010 and ​August 2017.

The brothers previously faced rape and human trafficking charges in the UK related to three alleged ​victims, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

A British judge issued a warrant for their arrests in 2024, but they have not appeared in British court to enter a plea to those charges.

The UK is seeking ‌to extradite the brothers to face ​both sets of charges.

They have also been under investigation since 2022 in ‌Romania on charges including human trafficking.

(c) Sky News 2026: Tate brothers exploited women using 'lover boy' model, UK alleges