UK prosecutors argue Tate brothers a flight risk ahead of bail hearing

British law enforcement is seeking a US court to deny a request from social media influencers Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate to be released on bail while extradition proceedings are ongoing. The pair have been detained in Florida since their arrest last month, following the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales charging them with 38 offenses, including rape, sex trafficking and possession of indecent images of a child. Both deny any wrongdoing.

The CPS argues the brothers pose a flight risk, suggesting they may interfere with witnesses in the case and use their resources and social media networks to avoid prosecution. They also claim the complainants in the case are vulnerable and fearful of the Tate brothers, who have a history of assaulting and threatening them with weapons. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday to decide whether the brothers should remain in jail throughout their court proceedings.

The Tate brothers, who are dual British-US citizens, were apprehended in Miami on July 19 and face a total of 59 charges. They were already facing rape, bodily harm, human trafficking, and controlling prostitution allegations in the UK between 2012-15. In 2024, the European arrest warrant was issued for the brothers to be returned from Romania to face these charges. However, they moved to Romania in 2016 and were only arrested in 2022 on sex charges, which have not progressed.