A court in Romania extended by another 30 days social media influencer Andrew Tate's detention on suspicion of organised crime and human trafficking, an official said.
Tate, 36, who is a a British-US citizen known for misogynistic views, was arrested on December 29 when authorities raided his property north of Bucharest.
His brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women are also in custody in the same case. None of the four has been formally charged.
Ramona Bolla, a spokeswoman for Romania’s anti-organised crime agency Diicot, said the Bucharest Tribunal approved prosecutors' request to hold the Tates for another 30 days, while the two women will be put under house arrest.
It was the third 30-day extension granted since the Tates were arrested.
The brothers also lost an appeal on February 1 of a judge’s January 20 decision to keep them behind bars while investigations continued.
A decision document said the judge took into account the “particular dangerousness of the defendants” and their capacity to identify victims “with an increased vulnerability, in search of better life opportunities".
Andrew Tate detained in Romania — in pictures
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Police officers escort Andrew Tate to the Court of Appeal in Bucharest, Romania. AP -
Tate, the divisive influencer and former professional kickboxer, was detained on suspicion of being involved in organised crime and human trafficking. AP -
The British-American, who has 4.7 million followers on Twitter, was also accused of rape. Reuters -
Tate, his brother Tristan and two women are escorted by officers into the Court of Appeal in Bucharest. EPA -
Tate rose to notoriety in 2016 when he was removed from reality TV show Big Brother over a video that appeared to show him hitting a woman with a belt. Reuters -
On a podcast last year, he said he started making money when he lived in London by convincing girlfriends to videochat and share the profits. AP -
A police officer looks on as a luxury vehicle is seized on the outskirts of Bucharest, in the case against Tate. AP -
A car is pictured at 'The Hustlers University' site belonging to Tate in Bucharest. AFP -
Romania said it had identified six victims in a human-trafficking case who had been subjected to 'acts of physical violence and mental coercion'. EPA
Eugen Vidineac, one of the lawyers representing the Tate brothers, said before Tuesday’s ruling that the defence team would challenge another extension, if one were issued.
Mr Vidineac said the defence had “effectively paralysed the evidence" in the case so far and that there was not enough to keep the Tates in custody.
Andrew Tate, who has reportedly lived in Romania since 2017, was previously banned from various social media platforms for expressing misogynistic views and hate speech.
He has repeatedly claimed that Romanian prosecutors have no evidence and that their case is a “political” attack designed to silence him.
A post on Andrew Tate’s Twitter account before Tuesday's decision expressed confidence in his lawyers and his eventual release.
A later tweet said: “I can easily think myself into euphoric gratefulness for things as simple as having air to breathe.
"I can easily think myself into the deepest and darkest depression. I’ve seen hell. I’ve lived hell. I can produce either state.”
Andrew Tate arrested in Romania over human trafficking case - video
Romania's anti-organised crime agency said after the December arrests that it had identified six victims in the human trafficking case who were subjected to “acts of physical violence and mental coercion”.
It said they were sexually exploited by members of a crime group.
The agency said victims were lured with pretenses of love and later intimidated, placed under surveillance and subjected to other control tactics while being coerced into engaging in pornographic acts for the financial gain of the crime group.
In January, Romanian authorities raided a compound linked to the Tate brothers near Bucharest and towed away luxury cars that included a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari and a Porsche.
They reported seizing assets worth an estimated $3.9 million.
Prosecutors have said that if they can prove the cars’ owners gained money through illicit activities such as human trafficking, the assets would be used to cover the expenses of the investigation and compensate victims.
Andrew Tate also unsuccessfully appealed the asset seizure.
