Judge rules Tate brothers must remain in custody

Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate must remain in custody as they fight extradition to the UK, where the brothers are accused of rape and sex trafficking, a federal judge in Miami ruled yeterday.

US Magistrate Lauren Louis denied a defence motion for release, meaning the Tates will remain jailed during what could be a months-long extradition process. The Tates failed to demonstrate that they do not present a flight risk or danger to the community or that special circumstances warrant their release, Louis said in her ruling.

The Tates’ legal team said in a statement that the decision to keep them in custody creates a legal contradiction. The brothers are being detained in the United States because of a British extradition request while simultaneously being required to defend themselves against charges in Romania, the statement said.

“They are now facing an extraordinary situation in which they are being held thousands of miles from Romania while Romanian proceedings continue, deadlines approach, an additional indictment is said to be imminent, and their own Romanian lawyer says he cannot properly prepare,” the lawyers said. “No serious person can pretend that this can be reviewed properly through occasional conversations from a federal detention center in another country.” The attorneys said they are considering whether to appeal the judge’s decision.

The Tates have become among the world’s most polarising Internet personalities with their promotion of wealth, male dominance and misogyny through their social media empire. Prosecutors say the brothers are a flight risk because they appear to have money and have bragged about multiple passports. During a hearing last month in Miami, the brothers denied criminal accusations spanning several countries, blasted their critics, and described their brash online personas as characters and not their true personalities. The Tates said they exaggerate their claims of wealth to boost their clout on social media.

They have been held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami since making a brief court appearance two days after their July 18 arrest. Lawyers for the Tates asked the judge to allow them to be freed from custody at least until an extradition hearing can be held on their UK rape and trafficking charges.

Andrew, 39, and Tristan, 38, are dual US-British citizens. Andrew is a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has amassed more than 10 million followers, most of them boys and young men, on X. He has been banned from platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram for violating hate speech guidelines. He also runs an online academy where he says he teaches young men how to get rich and attract women. Tristan is also a former kickboxer.