Masked police officers in Romania have carried out fresh raids at the home of internet influencer Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Masked police officers in Romania carried out fresh raids early Wednesday at the home of divisive internet influencer Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, said it was searching four homes in the counties of Bucharest and nearby Ilfov, investigating allegations of human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements and money laundering. The agency added that hearings will later be held at its headquarters.

Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, said in response to the raids that “although the charges in the search warrant are not yet fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering” and added that his legal team is present. Petrescu did not address the allegations involving minors.

  • mycodesucks@lemmy.world
    148·
    29 days ago

    “I like Eastern Europe as a whole because corruption is far more accessible,” Tate said. “I find it offensive that a police officer in England will stop me and refuse to take a bribe.”

    Bet you’re missing that guarantee of a speedy trial, huh?

    • Barbarian@sh.itjust.works
      42·
      29 days ago

      Sounds like he’s still stuck in the 90s. The police used to be corrupt as all hell, but things have slowly improved. Most would probably take a kickback for something very minor, like drinking a beer in a park, but there’s too many eyes on them for anything more major.

      Just 2 months ago a guy I know came in from Italy, but didn’t realize Romania has a zero tolerance policy on drunk driving. He had a single glass of wine and was driving. Police stopped him, asked if he’d been drinking, he said yes. Once he realized how much shit he was in, he tried to bribe them. They added that to the charges. He’s now banned from driving in Romania (he had to get a pair of friends from Italy to come pick up his car), but they were nice enough to not cancel his driving license completely.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          34·
          29 days ago

          When I was 19 or 20, I got caught driving without insurance (don’t do this) and my license was suspended for six months. Maybe two years later, my friend got pulled over on a DUI. He spent maybe an hour in jail before his parents bailed him out and got his license suspended for six weeks.

          Like I said, don’t drive without insurance, but I think I was a hell of a lot less likely to kill someone with my car than he was.

          • Windex007@lemmy.world
            7·
            29 days ago

            It’s obscene the revoke a license for insurance. I can understand a fine, maybe impounding the uninsured vehicle until you have proof of insurance… But suspending the license? That’s fucked.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
              7·
              29 days ago

              I don’t disagree with you. And six months was ridiculously excessive.

              Of course, I had to go to work, and the bus didn’t even remotely come close to my job, so I drove anyway. I didn’t have a choice. I just hoped I didn’t get pulled over again, which I thankfully did not.

      • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
        8·
        29 days ago

        Romania has a zero tolerance policy on drunk driving

        Like blood alcohol limit is 0.00? Because most countries define a limit that makes you drunk and it ain’t zero.

        • Barbarian@sh.itjust.works
          12·
          29 days ago

          Yup, exactly. Strictly 0.0. There are cases where people have lost their licenses after having one of those little chocolates with the rum-flavored fillings. This was a reaction to a huge wave of deaths due to DUIs.

  • symthetics@lemmy.world
    32·
    29 days ago

    Divisive? Let’s call him what he is: a dribbling, brain-dead misogynistic cunt grifter (and now potential pedo).

    • norimee@lemmy.world
      750·
      29 days ago

      Do you have to degrade trans people and people who dress outside the gender norm and imply that drag is or should be illegal? And imply what this asshole does (fucking trafficking minors) is as bad as drag?!

      Your comment either targets the wrong people in an attempt to shot at Tate or your opinions about drag are lowest level.

      • breakingcups@lemmy.world
        751·
        29 days ago

        I think you’re entirely missing the point, which is that for all the notable arrests for sexual abuse of children (celebrities, politicians, priests, cops) it’s never someone in drag, even though that’s one of the GOP screaming points in trying to ban drag and trans people. They’re pointing out the ludicrousness of that message.

      • Zachariah@lemmy.world
        562·
        29 days ago

        Did my comment need a /s on it?

        This is one more article about a child molester who isn’t a drag queen—even though there has been a lot of attacking of drag shows as a danger to children.

        And why are you bringing up trans people? Drag isn’t trans.

        • Barbarian@sh.itjust.works
          173·
          29 days ago

          Did my comment need a /s on it?

          Probably. Poe’s law becomes firmer every day as vocal crazies become more and more outspoken.

        • Serinus@lemmy.world
          21·
          29 days ago

          It wasn’t very clear because cross dressing is/was a pretty common thing, and isn’t the same as being a drag queen.

          It used to be one of the things schools would do for spirit week. So there are plenty of pictures of guys out there in “drag” that wouldn’t make them “drag queens”.

          It’s a minor bit of arguable semantics, really. It just happens to lead to confusion here.

        • WHYAREWEALLCAPS@fedia.io
          418·
          29 days ago

          Did my comment need a /s on it?

          Yes? Never fucking assume people are going to get that you’re being sarcastic on the internet. JFC, isn’t that internet 101 anymore?

      • Bogan@lemmy.world
        201·
        29 days ago

        That’s not at all what they’re saying, you’re missing the joke. They’re making fun of how conservatives are convinced sex traffickers and minor-abusers are always drag queens. They’re on your side.

  • Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works
    13·
    28 days ago

    I like to think that alpha males are meant to be surrounded by other alpha males. Prison is the best place for them to gather, no stupid woman in a high-security detention center.

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
    5·
    28 days ago

    In April, the Bucharest Tribunal ruled that the prosecutors’ case file against the four met the legal criteria and that a trial could start but did not set a date for it to begin.

    I wonder if the possibility of a future raid was the reason for not setting a trial date. I hope they find even more damning evidence to use against him and he goes down hard.

    • addictedtochaos@lemm.ee
      1·
      28 days ago

      they made the mistake of insulting or ridiculing someone of the local power structure, because they are culuturally tone deaf. and those guys cant let that slide, because its their reputation that is on the line.

      they dont care about what they find at all. its all a huge show so everybody can see what happens if you talk to much smack in someone elses domain.

      its a powermove.

      if they had managed to make amends to the local hustleculture, they wouldnt have this kind of problem in the first place.

      but they didnt show respect, and thats it.

      you all watched all these mafia movies, and dont see the sings i n real life???

      so, tace care: if they DONT find something, the tatebrothers will STILL be in jail or house detention.

      or they will find something, because they will plant it.

      someday, they will just let them of the hook without warning or explanation, just to humiliate them.

      “you are so unimportantant that i can ignore you know, you bore me.”

      this will be the day andrew tate has been broken, spiritually. he talked to much strong alpha guy shit and some real man decided to teach him a lesson. its plain as day.

  • FrowingFostek@lemmy.world
    2·
    28 days ago

    Totally unrelated thought but, I’ll never forget, I was browsing YouTube and some streamer was analyzing Tate’s discussion with someone.

    The streamer said something like “Tate exhibits signs of being an Epistemic Nihilist” I’ve never been able to forget that.

  • BigMacHole@lemm.ee
    2·
    28 days ago

    This is just the DEEP STATE going after REAL VOICES! But when Police Officers KILL BLACK KIDS they OBVIOUSLY deserved it!

    -Conservatives who ONLY defend Child Rapists and Murderers for some reason!

  • BaroqueInMind@lemmy.mlEnglish
    2·
    28 days ago

    Seeing the thumbnail makes me really miss playing SWAT4 or old-school Rainbow Six games that were single-player urban counter-terror/hostage rescue sims.