Federal authorities arrested controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate at a Miami airport Saturday on a UK warrant, adding 38 new criminal charges to an already sprawling international case.
The brothers now face 59 total charges across multiple countries, according to Hertfordshire Police.
British prosecutors charged Andrew Tate with rape and human trafficking related to three women. Tristan faces 11 counts tied to one woman. The Crown Prosecution Service’s new charges include 19 counts of crimes related to illegal child images and pornography against Andrew Tate.
The Tate brothers have denied all charges against them.
Andrew, 39, and Tristan, 38, were born to a British mother and an American Air Force sergeant. Both hold dual US-UK citizenship. Andrew began kickboxing around 2005 and won four world championships before the brothers pivoted to more controversial ventures.
According to Andrew Tate, he started a webcam pornography business in 2014 after realizing kickboxing wasn’t profitable. He claims the operation netted $100,000 in its first month. The brothers moved the business to Romania between 2015 and 2017, where it expanded massively.
Several women have accused the brothers of luring them to Romania on promises of romantic relationships, only to coerce them into performing for webcam streams. At least two women accused the Tate brothers of rape and physical assault during this period, when Andrew claimed to make more than half a million dollars monthly with 75 women working for him.
By 2020, the webcam operation shut down. The Tates launched Hustler’s University, an online community where men paid $50 monthly to learn from the brothers. Elite members could join the “War Room” for $8,000 yearly.
Fueled by social media posts showing flashy cars and lavish living, the Tates built a massive following among young men. Tate claimed Hustler’s University peaked at 80,000 members, though that number hasn’t been independently verified.
In 2022, Tate closed Hustler’s University amid allegations the program was a pyramid scheme.
Romanian authorities first arrested the brothers in 2022 on human trafficking charges. They remained under house arrest on and off until February 2025, when Romanian authorities lifted travel restrictions.
The UK charged the brothers with similar crimes last May. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened an investigation into the brothers, who frequently spent time in Miami.
Despite outstanding warrants in three countries, the Tates moved freely until Saturday’s airport arrest on the UK warrant.
The 59 charges could trigger extradition proceedings to the United Kingdom, where prosecutors are building what appears to be the most extensive case against the brothers yet.
