Romanian Court Lifts House Arrest for Andrew Tate, Imposes Lighter Restrictions

A Romanian court has lifted the house arrest order for internet personality Andrew Tate, replacing it with a less stringent preventive measure pending the results of a criminal investigation, according to a spokesperson for Tate on Tuesday.

Tate, along with his brother Tristan and four other suspects, has been under house arrest since August. The group faces charges of forming a criminal organization, human trafficking, trafficking minors, engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor, and money laundering. They all deny the allegations.

A previous criminal case against Tate ended in December when the Bucharest Court of Appeals decided not to put him on trial, citing flaws in the indictment and sending the case back to prosecutors. This ruling dealt a blow to Romania's anti-organized crime unit, DIICOT.

On Tuesday, the judges ruled to lift the house arrest as part of the ongoing second investigation.

"This ruling marks a significant step forward, granting Andrew Tate the freedom to travel within Romania, subject to the necessary legal conditions," his representatives stated.

Under the new, lighter measure called judicial control, Tate must regularly report to the police, is prohibited from contacting other suspects or witnesses, and is banned from leaving Romania.

The Tate brothers, former kickboxers with dual U.S. and British citizenship, are the most high-profile suspects facing trial for human trafficking in Romania. Additionally, the brothers face a British arrest warrant and will be extradited after their Romanian trial proceedings conclude, a court decided in March.

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