Controversial Influencer and ex-kickboxer Andrew Tate, along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian associates, have been granted conditional release from jail.
The Court of Appeal in Bucharest ruled that Tate, his brother Tristan and their two associates, Georgiana Naghel and Luana Radu, could be placed under house arrest and taken out of custody, a spokesperson for Tate confirmed to Insider, adding that the brothers were "ecstatic" about the news.
The group had been in detention since December, where they were held under suspicion of human trafficking. Despite the allegations, they have maintained their innocence throughout the ordeal. However, they will now be placed under house arrest as they await further legal proceedings.
Tate's request for bail was denied on March 14 due to concerns about flight risk and witness tampering. He had been in detention since his arrest in December 2022, with his detention being extended several times until the end of March.
Romanian prosecutors have yet to file any charges, and all four individuals, including Andrew and Tristan Tate, have maintained their innocence. However, they will now be required to obtain permission from a judge if they wish to leave their homes, according to the BBC.
The Tate brothers' spokesperson released a statement to Insider expressing their elation with the court's decision, adding that they are eager to reunite with their families in Romania. They also thanked their supporters and vowed to continue fighting the "fabricated accusations" against them. In February, Reuters reported on leaked tapes suggesting that Andrew Tate had contacted right-wing Romanian politicians to lobby for his release and undermine his accusers.
According to Buzzfeed News, Andrew Tate has generated significant revenue and amassed a primarily male following through his paid video subscription program, "Hustler University." Reports suggest he has made millions of dollars from the platform.
However, in August 2022, Tate was banned from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, with Twitter having previously suspended him in 2017 for tweets blaming women for sexual assault.
In January 2023, he was reinstated on Twitter thanks to a request from Elon Musk but was soon after arrested. As New York Magazine reports, his social media influence and popularity among young male users has decreased since his de-platforming and incarceration in December 2022.