How Did Andrew and Tristan Tate Make $1.2 Million? Romania Indicts Brothers Over Alleged Exploitation of Minor

Romanian prosecutors have indicted social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate over allegations that they trafficked a minor, sexually exploited her through an online webcam business, and laundered more than $1.2 million in proceeds.

The indictment, announced by Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, comes while the brothers are being held in a Miami federal jail as they fight a separate UK extradition case involving allegations including rape and human trafficking.

The new Romanian case centers on a girl who prosecutors say was 15 when Andrew Tate recruited her in Luton, England, in 2012. Authorities allege that he initially pretended to want a romantic relationship with her before she was subjected to surveillance, threats, emotional pressure, and physical violence and forced to take part in sexually explicit webcam sessions.

Prosecutors say the alleged exploitation later continued after she was moved to Romania. The brothers deny all wrongdoing and have the right to be presumed innocent.

How Did the Tates Allegedly Make $1.2 Million?

According to DIICOT, Andrew Tate allegedly controlled the girl and forced her to produce sexual content through online video chats for financial gain. Prosecutors say Tristan Tate helped supervise the activity and manage money, knowing that the girl was a minor.

The alleged webcam operation generated more than $1.2 million, according to Romanian authorities. Al Jazeera, citing DIICOT, reported that the brothers allegedly kept about 80% of the earnings generated by the victim.

Prosecutors also accuse the brothers of attempting to hide the source of the money by purchasing four luxury vehicles. Romanian authorities are seeking their confiscation. The vehicles are valued at roughly 825,000 euros, or about $957,000, according to the Miami Herald.

DIICOT further alleges that victims or witnesses were offered money, phones, or legal assistance, or were intimidated, in attempts to prevent them from giving evidence or to make them provide false statements.

Andrew Tate faces charges of trafficking minors, having sex with a minor, and money laundering. Tristan is charged with complicity in trafficking minors and money laundering.

Andrew is also separately accused of having sex with another girl who was 15 at the time, between December 2020 and mid-2021, according to prosecutors.

What Happened to the 15-Year-Old Girl?

The prosecution’s account says the girl was 15 when Andrew Tate allegedly recruited her in Britain in 2012.

Authorities allege that after gaining her trust by presenting himself as interested in a romantic relationship, Andrew Tate moved her into a property in Luton, Bedfordshire, where prosecutors say he used surveillance, emotional blackmail and physical aggression to control her.

She was later allegedly taken to Romania, where prosecutors say the exploitation continued at two properties belonging to Andrew Tate.

Tristan is accused of knowing that she was a minor and assisting his brother, including through physical aggression and supervision, according to DIICOT.

The sources do not describe the girl as being kidnapped. Rather, prosecutors allege that she was recruited and subsequently controlled and exploited.

Who Are Andrew and Tristan Tate?

The brothers are dual US-British citizens and former professional kickboxers who became internationally known through social media.

Andrew Tate, 39, built a particularly large online following around an aggressively masculine persona often associated with the nickname “Top G.” His content promoted wealth, luxury cars, private jets, cryptocurrency, and male dominance, while his statements about women and gender equality attracted widespread criticism for being misogynistic.

Tristan Tate, 38, also developed a major online following alongside his brother.

Their social media popularity, particularly among young men, helped turn the brothers into influential internet personalities. Andrew Tate has repeatedly argued that his online persona is partly entertainment and marketing. During a recent Miami extradition hearing, he testified that his public image exaggerated his wealth and lifestyle, saying he did not own some of the luxury items shown in his online content.

The brothers had been mainly based in Romania since 2017. Andrew had previously said in online videos that he chose Romania partly because he believed law enforcement there was less strict.

Their Romanian Legal Battle Goes Back to 2022

The latest indictment is not the brothers’ first legal battle in Romania.

Romanian authorities began investigating Andrew and Tristan Tate in December 2022, including allegations involving human trafficking and sexual exploitation. They were later formally indicted in an earlier case in 2023.

But in late 2024, a Bucharest appeals court sent that case back to prosecutors after finding legal and procedural problems and ruling that some evidence was inadmissible. The case was not dismissed.

The new indictment must now go through a preliminary court review before a trial can begin. It is also not yet clear whether Romanian authorities will seek the brothers’ extradition from the United States.

That question is particularly important because the Tates are already detained in Miami over a separate British extradition request.

What Do the Tate Brothers Say?

The brothers have consistently denied the allegations.

Their Romanian lawyer, Eugen Constantin Vidineac, warned against treating the indictment as proof of guilt. In a statement, he said, “Today’s decision by DIICOT does not determine guilt, and it should not be presented as though it does.”

Vidineac also said the defence would challenge the case, adding that the brothers “continue to reject the allegations” and have the right to examine the evidence and mount an effective defence.

The brothers are currently in a Miami federal jail while a US court considers their extradition proceedings to the UK. The new Romanian indictment adds another legal battle to an already complicated international case.