Right, here’s what’s going on with Andrew Tate – one year on from his arrest in Romania
I still can’t believe a pizza box was the cause of his downfall
It’s been exactly one year since Andrew Tate got into a very public spat with Greta Thunberg on Twitter and was subsequently arrested on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group in Romania. A pizza box Andrew Tate recorded a video with led the authorities directly to his location. “This is what happens when you don’t recycle your pizza boxes,” Greta posted after his arrest.
Romanian authorities needed proof that Andrew Tate was in the country so they reportedly used his social media posts. His ridiculous video yesterday featured a pizza from a Romanian pizza chain, Jerry's Pizza, confirming he was in the country.
This is absolutely epic. pic.twitter.com/kyz4pqegkJ
— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) December 29, 2022
Despite the obvious poetic justice of the entire situation, the Romanian courts are still yet to announce a trial date for Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan – who was also arrested. Due to the complexity of the investigation, the trial isn’t expected to start for several years, the BBC reports. And the Tate brothers have made it clear they intend to deny all charges against them when the trial eventually takes place.
But although Andrew’s case is yet to hit the courtroom, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been developments since he was thrown in a “cockroach-ridden hell hole” Romanian jail. So, in case you’re wondering what’s actually going on now Andrews started to spring up on podcasts and Tweet his life away like nothing ever happened, here’s a breakdown of what’s going on with Andrew Tate a year on from his arrest:
Andrew placed in a Romanian jail and remained there for three months – 22 December 2022
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After his arrest, Andrew spent 93 days in what he called a “Romanian dungeon”. He emailed his followers for sympathy during that time, writing: “I will send you my daily lessons from an unjust imprisonment…They’re trying to break me. Thrown inside a cell without light…Cockroaches, lice and bed bugs, are my only friends at night. When the guards bring me to and from the courtroom, I stay absolutely respectful.
Voice notes between him and one of his alleged victims were published – 12 January 2023
After Andrew Tate’s arrest in Romania, VICE World News has obtained WhatsApp messages and voicenotes sent by Andrew Tate to a woman who accused him of a 2013 rape. She claimed the police told her they believed her account but authorities wouldn’t prosecute.
“Am I a bad person? Because the more you didn’t like it the more I enjoyed it,” Tate said to the women in a voicenote. “I fucking loved how much you hated it. It turned me on,” he continued. “Why am I like that? Why?” He then went on to claim in the voice messages that he only strangled the woman a “little bit” and that she should “chill the fuck out” about the alleged assault.
He also sent her messages that read: “I love raping you,” and “Monsters are monsters. When ur under my control, I do whatever I please.”
Andrew released from prison and placed under house arrest for five months – 1 April 2023
After winning an appeal against his detention, which challenged a judge’s decision to extend his arrest for a fourth time, Andrew was placed under house arrest in Romania. His brother, and two Romanian women were also released from prison.
He’s officially charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women -21 June 2023
Two months after being placed under house arrest, Andrew and his brother appeared in court and were charged with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women. Romania’s anti-organised crime agency alleged they and the two women formed a criminal group in 2021 “in order to commit the crime of human trafficking” in Romania as well as the US and Britain.
The agency claimed that seven female victims were misled and transported to Romania, where they were sexually exploited and subjected to physical violence by the gang. All defendants have denied the accusations.
Andrew is freed from house arrest and placed under judicial control – 4 August 2023
Later in the summer Andrew won his appeal to be released from house arrest and was instead placed under judicial control – a less restrictive measure. From then on, Andrew was allowed to leave his house but couldn’t leave Bucharest, the surrounding area, or the country. He was also banned from contacting or approaching the alleged victims.
“[We’ve] been completely innocent since the beginning of this and I have to give absolute faith to the Romanian judicial system for finally making the right decision in letting us free,” he told reporters at the time.
Romanian judge loosens the restrictions on Andrew and his brother – 23 November 2023
Three months after the judicial controls were placed on Andrew a judge eased them to allow him to travel around Romania as he pleased. “This adjustment in judicial control signifies a notable development in the ongoing legal proceedings, reflecting the Tate brothers’ and their legal team’s commitment to clearing their name,” Tate’s representatives said in a statement at the time.
The court refuses to give back all of the expensive assets they seized from Andrew during investigation – 11 December 2023
Weeks after judicial controls were loosened on Andrew he asked the court to return all of his expensive stuff which was seized by authorities during the investigation. These items included 15 luxury cars and 14 designer watches worth roughly 3.6 million euros.
But Romania’s anti-organised crime agency refused to give Andrew his cars or watches back as they said the assets could be used to cover the expenses of the investigation or compensation for the victims if authorities could prove they were bought through illegal activity.
Andrew makes ’emergency’ request to visit his mum in the UK, which is denied – 22 December 2023
After his mum had a heart attack, Andrew made an emergency appeal to be allowed to visit her in the UK, which the Romanian court denied. “The Romanian state decided she must be alone at Christmas, if she is alive,” he wrote on Twitter in response. “There’s no innocent until proven guilty in Romania.”
The wait for Andrew’s trial continues.
Related stories recommended by this writer:
• Debunked: Andrew Tate doesn’t actually own a £132 million castle, it’s a hotel in Italy
• All the celebrities who’ve successfully dragged Andrew Tate back to where he belongs
• ‘Do this. Do that. Money arrives’: Inside Andrew Tate’s £42 per month Hustler’s University
Featured image credit via Shutterstock