Controversial influencer flew to the US after Romanian travel ban was lifted, but Florida was prepared to act on UK request
Florida state authorities were ready and willing to assist in the extradition of Andrew Tate to the United Kingdom, had a formal request been made, according to an email seen by the PA news agency.
The controversial influencer, who is facing multiple allegations of rape and human trafficking, flew by private jet to Florida in February after a travel ban imposed during an ongoing Romanian criminal investigation was temporarily lifted.
In correspondence dated 7 March, sent to legal representatives of four women pursuing a civil claim against Tate in the UK, Florida officials confirmed they would “assist in executing and complying” with any extradition request made by British authorities. The statement suggested a willingness on the part of Florida to act swiftly, had the UK made such a move while Tate was in the US.
The email read: “I have advised the Statewide Prosecutor of our conversation and confirmed that should the United Kingdom have an extradition order that needs to be acted upon, our state authorities will assist in executing and complying. I hope this assists in service of process for the cases in the United Kingdom.”
Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, are currently awaiting extradition to the UK following the conclusion of separate legal proceedings in Romania. Bedfordshire Police secured a European Arrest Warrant concerning distinct allegations of rape and human trafficking dating from 2012 to 2015, which the brothers “unequivocally deny”.
The Romanian legal process has so far included allegations of trafficking minors, money laundering, and forming an organised crime group to sexually exploit women. A separate Romanian case involving accusations of sexual misconduct with a minor has been returned to prosecutors for further assessment. The Tates were initially arrested in December 2022 and remain under judicial supervision.
The High Court in London is concurrently dealing with a civil case brought by four British women who accuse Andrew Tate of rape and sexual assault. These alleged offences were originally investigated by Hertfordshire Constabulary, but the Crown Prosecution Service opted not to proceed with criminal charges in 2019.
During a hearing held on Tuesday at the High Court, Tate’s legal representatives issued a “total denial of any wrongdoing”. The ongoing proceedings are aimed at obtaining justice through the civil courts after the lack of criminal prosecution.
It is understood that when the Tates were allowed to travel to the United States earlier this year, the move was reportedly facilitated in part by diplomatic lobbying, with claims that former members of the Trump administration had pressured the Romanian government to permit their travel. The Home Office has not commented on these claims.
Despite his temporary stay in Florida, the Tate brothers have since returned to Romania and reported again to police authorities. British officials are now working closely with Romanian counterparts to arrange the brothers’ eventual extradition.
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A Home Office spokesperson said: “As a matter of long-standing policy and practice, the UK will neither confirm nor deny that an extradition request has been made or received. Given the ongoing Romanian investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Sources within the Home Office indicate that Romanian authorities have agreed in principle to surrender the brothers to British authorities once all Romanian legal processes are exhausted. It is understood that any attempt to file a concurrent extradition request to the US could risk undermining this carefully negotiated arrangement.
Andrew Tate remains a polarising figure online, known for his inflammatory content and far-right views, but legal proceedings on multiple fronts are increasingly closing in on the self-styled internet mogul.
