Andrew Tate: I will be ‘absolutely exonerated’ after release from house arrest

Andrew Tate has said he will be “absolutely exonerated” of charges of rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to exploit women after being released from house arrest.

Tate and his brother Tristan, both dual UK-US nationals, and two Romanian nationals have been under house arrest for months after denying the allegations.

On Friday, they won an appeal to be able to leave their home but must remain in Romania, where they live.

Tate, 36, speaking outside his home in Bucharest on Friday, told reporters: “In January when I was thrown into a jail cell the media reported and told the world that I was a terrible person, they said that I hurt people and that I make a lot of money from a criminal enterprise.

“Here we stand seven or eight months later and I have not seen a single victim on the news, I have seen lots of girls sticking up for me, lots of people defending me, I’ve not seen a single person stand up and say that I have hurt them, not one.

“It’s very exhausting to continue to perpetuate lies, it’s very hard to keep lies afloat when you have no actual evidence, we’ve been completely innocent since the beginning of this and I have to give absolute faith to the Romanian judicial system for finally making the right decision in letting us free.

“I’m sure in the end we will be absolutely exonerated and everybody who was pushing these lies and reporting things on repeat without any substantial evidence are going to have to analyse within themselves why they decide to try and destroy people’s lives purely for views.

“I’ve done nothing wrong, God knows I’ve done nothing wrong, in my heart I know I’ve done nothing wrong. I think the people at home with a functioning brain understand we’ve done nothing wrong.”

In a statement through their lawyer, the Tate brothers thanked supporters for showing “great resilience and patience”.

In June, prosecutors alleged there were seven female victims, including some who were “misled” by “false claims of marriage and love”.

They said the defendants formed an organised crime group in early 2021 to commit human trafficking in Romania, the UK, the US and other countries.

The alleged victims were later taken to buildings in Ilfov county in Romania where they were intimidated, placed under constant surveillance and control and forced into debt, the statement said.

It is said the defendants then forced them to take part in pornography which was later shared on social media.

One defendant raped an alleged victim twice in March 2022, according to the statement.

Tate, who has lived in Romania since 2017, was previously banned from various social media platforms.

The kickboxer has denied all of the allegations, with a trial due to take place.