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TALLAHASSEE, Florida — State Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed Tuesday that the state has opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, after their arrival in Florida last week.
State investigators, Uthmeier said, have been ordered to execute search warrants and issue subpoenas probing the Tate brothers on the heels of charges they faced in Romania surrounding allegations of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Andrew Tate, a far-right influencer, and his brother were arrested near Bucharest in December 2022 and stayed in the country until arriving in Florida last week after their travel ban was lifted by Romanian authorities.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signaled that the Tate brothers were not welcome in Florida ahead of Uthmeier’s office launching its investigation.
“These guys have themselves publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world,” Uthmeier said in an interview posted to social media. “People can spin or defend however they want. But in Florida, this type of behavior is viewed as atrocious.”
Florida’s investigation into the brothers comes after Andrew Tate expressed disappointment Monday over DeSantis’ cold response to their arrival in Fort Lauderdale.
Tate questioned the governor’s reaction on a recent podcast appearance, suggesting DeSantis should have answered by saying, “as far as we’re concerned, he’s broken no laws.”
“Isn’t the whole point of democracy, innocent until proven guilty?” Tate said. “I’ve yet to even have a trial, let alone a conviction. I’ve never even been tried after three years. I’ve never been to trial.”
Romania’s Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism said that, while the agency had accepted a request from the Tate brothers to be allowed to leave Romania, they are still under investigation and “judicial control,” meaning they must return to Romania in March.
More details into Florida’s investigation were not available as of Tuesday evening.
“They chose to come here and set their feet down in this state, and we’re going to pursue every tool we have within our legal authority to hold them accountable,” Uthmeier said.
