Romanian authorities said they have seized nearly $4 million worth of assets belonging to controversial internet personality Andrew Tate as part of an investigation into him as his brother on allegations of human trafficking and rape.
The Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ANABI) said about 18 million lei—or $3,942,700– has been seized, according to a press release on Saturday.
Motor vehicles, luxury watches and sums of money in several different currencies were among the 29 seized assets, ANABI said.
The seizures were carried out on orders from prosecutors of the anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, it said.
Romanian television stations showed authorities at a compound emblazoned with a large “Tate” sign seizing a Rolls Royce, a BMW and a Mercedes Benz and other vehicles.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan were detained in Bucharest on Dec. 29 on allegations of human trafficking and rape. Authorities in Romania took four suspects into custody, the Tate brothers and two Romanians.
DIICOT alleged that the four suspects formed an organized criminal group that stretched from Romania to Britain and the United States, for the purpose of committing the crime of human trafficking.
The authorities allege that two of the suspects misled the victims “into believing that they intended to enter into a marriage/cohabitation relationship” while transporting victims to Romania and later sexually exploiting them with physical violence and coercion.
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