Tate brothers to remain in US jail as they fight extradition to UK

Tate brothers to remain in US jail as they fight extradition to UK

Andrew and Tristan Tate have lost their bid to be released from a Florida jail as they fight potential extradition to the UK to face charges of rape and trafficking.

A federal judge in Miami denied them bail, saying the dual US-UK citizens' wealth and frequent international travel "constitute quintessential flight risks".

The brothers have been held in US custody since their July arrest, after the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) unveiled new charges against them. The UK has until 16 September to submit a full extradition request.

They will "continue to defend themselves against the allegations" and "engage with the appropriate legal processes in each jurisdiction", their lawyers said.

The two are facing a total of 59 charges in the UK, including rape and counts relating to sex trafficking and indecent images of a child.

CPS originally brought 21 charges, but added 38 more in July for alleged actions spanning between 2010 and 2017.

US authorities took the men into custody in July after the UK announced the new charges.

Last weekend, Romanian prosecutors officially indicted the polarising social media influencers with a range of trafficking and sex offences.

The former kickboxers had primarily been based in Romania since 2017, drawing a large audience - primarily young men - through controversial messages about women and images of a luxury lifestyle. Self-proclaimed "misogynist" Andrew Tate first rose to fame after a 2016 appearance on the British version of reality TV show Big Brother.

The brothers also faced sex-trafficking charges in Romania in 2022, and were under a travel ban until they were allowed to come to the US in 2025.

Several prominent US politicians, including Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, objected to the Tate brothers' arrival in the US.

The brothers have denied all charges and allegations.

Wednesday's decision means the brothers will remain jailed during what could be a lengthy extradition process.

US Magistrate Judge Lauren Louis ruled that, while the Tates "may not in fact possess what extravagant holdings they portray themselves as possessing online, the record reflects that they possess an exceptional capacity to flee the jurisdiction".

The judge said that their lack of ties to the US and their strong foreign connections "demonstrate a risk of flight that has not been overcome".

The Tates' lawyers have argued they should be released on bail pending their extradition proceeding, saying the brothers were not a flight risk and did not pose a danger to the community.

The lawyers have also argued that they had complied with the terms of their release while facing charges earlier in the UK and Romania.

At a hearing on the question of their potential release in August, Andrew Tate said he had "never committed the crimes I'm accused of."

Tristan Tate described his detention conditions as small and hot, with little access to sunlight and exercise, adding that he had lost 14 pounds (6.4kg).

"It's beginning to grate on me because I can't partake in helping with my defence," he said, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

The British Embassy had asked the judge to keep the Tates in custody as the UK sought extradition, writing in court filings that the brothers were "flight risks" and claiming they "would interfere with witnesses if released".

The Romanian government also wrote in court filings that the brothers had allegedly attempted to influence victim's statements during their earlier investigation, but had also "fully complied with the obligations imposed upon them" as the criminal case proceeded.

During the hearing, the Tates' attorneys also tried to convince the judge that Andrew Tate's online persona was just a character and did not reflect who he was as a person, according to CBS News.

"I've said some stupid things (in the past), but sometimes you have to shake the internet to get noticed," he testified, according to CBS News.