Andrew Tate loses bid to ease judicial controls as trafficking case continues

A Romanian court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by influencer Andrew Tate to ease judicial control measures imposed while the legal case continues in which he is charged with human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women.

The Bucharest Court of Appeal's decision upheld a ruling by another court on January 18 which extended by 60 days the geographical restrictions against Tate, 37, stipulating that he cannot leave the country.

Tate lost his appeal more than a year after he was first arrested near Bucharest along with his brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June last year and they have denied the allegations.

The case is still being discussed in the preliminary chamber stages, a process in which the defendants can challenge prosecutors' evidence and case file. No trial dates have been set.

Andrew Tate, who has amassed 8.7 million followers on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, has repeatedly claimed that prosecutors have no evidence against him and that there is a political conspiracy to silence him.

Andrew Tate, left, and his brother Tristan, right, walk inside the Court of Appeals building (AP)

He was previously banned from various prominent social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and for hate speech.

After their arrest, the Tate brothers were held for three months in police detention before being moved to house arrest. They were later restricted to the areas of Bucharest Municipality and nearby Ilfov County.

Earlier in January, Tate won an appeal challenging the seizure of his assets by Romanian authorities, which were confiscated in the weeks after he was arrested.

It is not clear when the next court hearing on his asset seizures will be.

Romanian authorities had seized 15 luxury cars, 14 designer watches and cash in several currencies worth an estimated 3.6 million euros (£3.08 million).

Romania's anti-organised crime agency said at the time that the assets could be used to fund investigations and for compensation for victims if authorities could prove they were gained through illicit activities.