Andrew Tate arrives handcuffed and escorted by police at a courthouse in Bucharest, Romania on February 1, 2023. (AFP/Getty Images)

A Romanian court has lifted house arrest on controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, who are awaiting trial on human trafficking charges.

Tate, known for his misogynistic views, also faces charges of rape and forming a criminal group for sexually exploiting women.

Prosecutors in #Romania have charged popular influencer #AndrewTate, his brother #Tristan, and two other individuals with human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal group to sexually exploit women.
The Tate brothers and two Romanian female suspects are being held in custody… pic.twitter.com/5ciD1qY6Ly
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 20, 2023

The court replaced house arrest with judicial control for 60 days, requiring the two brothers to report to police and must stay in the Bucharest region, or may be allowed to leave with prior approval. They are not allowed to meet with the two Romanian women accused in the case.

The trial date is yet to be set. Prosecutors allege the group set up a criminal organization and forced victims into pornographic acts for dissemination on social media. It is worth noting that Tate gained fame through social media, promoting divisive views and controversial content.

A flashback

In 2016, Tate faced expulsion from British TV show Big Brother after a video emerged showing him seemingly attacking a woman.

Subsequently, he gained online notoriety when Twitter temporarily banned him for controversially suggesting that women should take some responsibility for sexual assault incidents.

Although he was later reinstated on the platform, he continued to grow in popularity, especially among young men, by promoting a hyper-masculine and ultra-luxurious lifestyle on social media.