David Fischer
Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate will fight extradition to the United Kingdom, their lawyer told a US magistrate in Miami on Monday (US time) after the brothers were arrested to face rape and sex trafficking charges.
The Tates appeared in federal court for the first time since their arrest on Saturday (Sunday AEST) and are being held in federal detention. In the coming weeks, a US district judge will consider whether they meet the conditions for extradition.
The brothers, normally photographed in tailored suits and stylish fitted shirts, wore tan jail uniforms and handcuffs during the brief hearing.
An attorney for the brothers, Joseph McBride, has blasted the charges as “filth and slander”. On Sunday, McBride said he was confident the extradition request would be denied.
US Magistrate Lauren Louis set another hearing for next Monday.
Prosecutors in Britain said the new charges relate to four new alleged victims and were brought after authorities received evidence from Bedfordshire Police in southeastern England. The allegations, spanning 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offences relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography”.
The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other alleged victims in the UK between 2012 and 2015.
Their lawyer said in a statement on Saturday that he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the Justice Department without input from leadership.
But the Justice Department told The Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its Criminal Division.
The new allegations are the latest in a long-running international legal saga involving the Tates that has spanned the US, Britain and Romania. The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
Their social media empire promoting wealth, male dominance and misogyny has made them among the world’s most polarising internet personalities.
The dual US and British citizens moved to Romania in 2016. They were arrested there in 2022, accused of participating in schemes to lure women for sexual exploitation. They denied those allegations and the Romanian case hasn’t gone forward because of legal and procedural problems.
Last year, they were allowed to leave Romania and flew to Florida.
AP
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