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CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA influencer Andrew Tate has checked in at a police station following his return to Romania.
Tate, alongside his brother Tristan Tate, flew to the US on a private jet last month after a travel ban imposed on them during a human trafficking investigation was lifted.
A lawyer acting on behalf of the brothers previously said the Tates were due to check in with a surveillance officer today.
Tate posted on X to say there were “100 cameras” when he arrived at a police station.
In Romania, the Tate brothers are facing allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering.
A separate case against them, in which they are accused of human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, has been sent back to prosecutors.
The pair are due to be extradited to the UK following the conclusion of proceedings in Romania, after Bedfordshire Police secured a European arrest warrant for further separate allegations of rape and human trafficking involving different women.
Those allegations, which the two brothers “unequivocally deny”, date back to 2012-2015.
The Trump administration reportedly pressed the Romanian government to lift travel restrictions on the brothers last month, before they were allowed to fly to Florida.
Upon his arrival back in Romania, Tate told reporters: “It is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty in a democracy – we have never been convicted of any crime anywhere on the planet, ever.
“We have our passports back, and just like… anyone who decides to take a trip, we’re allowed to take a trip.”
He added: “If a court needs to speak to us, we’ll be there because we are innocent.
“We’ve come here to prove our innocence because we deserve our day in court.”
Meanwhile, Tate has become somewhat embroiled in Irish politics and recently claimed that Tánaiste Simon Harris is “jealous” and “weak”.
Speaking recently in the Dáil, Harris spoke about the Netflix series Adolescence, about a 13-year-old who is arrested for murdering a schoolmate.
Harris said the programme “provides a glimpse into how toxic influences are filling a void in young men’s lives”.
He added that the programme should be “compulsory viewing” in secondary school.
Harris went on to voice concern about social media and the impacts of “so-called influencers” such as Conor McGregor and Andrew Tate who are “providing a warped view of what it is to be a man”.
“Let me be clear, the likes of Conor McGregor and Andrew Tate should not be social media influencer, they should be social pariahs.
“Their behaviour is wrong, it’s retrograde, it’s degrading, it’s damaging, they’re normalising behaviour that is totally and utterly unacceptable.”
In response, Tate claimed on social media that he and McGregor are “respected” and that “jealous weak men will do anything it takes to stop powerful men regaining control of the systems”.
“Their objective is to destroy all masculinity and continue to lead us to destruction,” added Tate.
Ever wondered how disinformation spreads so rapidly – or who is behind it? Check out our FactCheck Knowledge Bank for essential reads and guides to finding good information online.
-With additional reporting from Diarmuid Pepper
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