Miami (AFP) – Influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan will fight extradition to Britain on sex crime charges, their lawyer said Monday, slamming their recent arrest in Miami as “politically motivated.” US authorities detained the self-professed misogynist and his younger sibling on Saturday as UK prosecutors announced new charges of rape, sex trafficking, and assault. The Tate brothers now face 59 charges in total — 42 against Andrew and 17 against Tristan.
“We are, of course, objecting to extradition because Andrew and Tristan are innocent. They’ve never done nothing wrong. They shouldn’t be extradited for crimes they did not commit,” lawyer Joseph McBride said. “It’s politically motivated. There’s no question about it,” he told reporters outside a Miami court following a hearing on the case.
McBride said their arrest came days after the brothers traveled to Washington to meet with members of Congress. “They walked the grounds of the Capitol, and three days later, they’re in the jumpsuit. You do the math,” he said.
Andrew Tate is one of the most prominent proponents of the so-called “manosphere” network of communities, many of them online, that focus on traditional masculinity, anti-feminism, and self-improvement. He promotes his divisive views, often incorporating alpha-male and aggressively misogynistic themes, to millions on social media, including 10.8 million followers on X.
In Romania, where they have been based in recent years, the Tates face allegations of trafficking minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, and money laundering. In March 2025, the US state of Florida launched a criminal investigation against the brothers. The status of that investigation is unclear.
© 2024 AFP
