Romanian Prosecutors Add Hate Speech Charges to Andrew Tate Investigation as Multi-Country Legal Net Tightens

The legal pressure on controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan escalated sharply on May 28, 2026, when Romanian anti-organized crime prosecutors (DIICOT) formally extended their criminal investigation to include charges of instigating hatred and discrimination against women . The new charge, based on speeches Tate gave between 2021 and 2024, adds a distinct dimension to a case that already encompasses serious allegations of human trafficking and sexual violence . The move underscores the complex and expanding legal jeopardy the brothers face across multiple jurisdictions.

The Tates deny all allegations against them .

The Expanded Romanian Criminal Investigation

The new hate speech charge sits alongside a pre-existing Romanian criminal probe that has been underway since December 2022. The broader investigation, which includes the Tate brothers and four other suspects, encompasses allegations of forming an organized criminal group, human trafficking, trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, and money laundering .

Procedurally, the Romanian cases have seen significant back-and-forth. In December 2024, a Bucharest court found irregularities in the original trafficking indictment and sent the case back to prosecutors . More recently, in April 2026, a court lifted the remaining "judicial control" measures—such as travel restrictions and mandatory police check-ins—on the brothers in connection with one of the trafficking cases . However, this ruling did not terminate the investigation, which remains active .

The United Kingdom: Criminal Charges and a Civil Trial

The legal challenges in the UK present a twin threat.

On the criminal side, the Crown Prosecution Service has authorized charges against both brothers that reportedly include rape, actual bodily harm, and human trafficking . The Tates' legal representative has stated that the brothers intend to return to Britain to face those charges once the Romanian proceedings have concluded . In a parallel development, British police announced in March 2026 that they are reexamining sex crime allegations against Andrew Tate dating back more than a decade .

On the civil front, Andrew Tate is scheduled to face a trial in London's High Court in June 2026. Four women have brought civil claims alleging physical and sexual mistreatment; the trial was accelerated after previously being expected in early 2027 .

Scrutiny in the United States

The United States has also emerged as a site of legal and political scrutiny. A ProPublica investigation detailed that the brothers were facing allegations of sex trafficking in three countries prior to their travel to Florida in February 2025 . The report also described political interventions by U.S. figures during the legal process .

After the brothers arrived in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis stated they were "not welcome" in the state . Florida subsequently launched its own criminal investigation into the brothers, though no formal charges have been publicly confirmed . The U.S. dimension remains the least defined part of the overall legal picture, but it adds another layer of risk for the brothers, who hold dual U.S.-British citizenship.

The current landscape leaves the Tates confronting at least four active legal fronts: an expanded Romanian criminal investigation that now includes hate speech, authorized UK criminal sex-offense charges, a UK civil abuse trial set for June 2026, and ongoing investigative interest in the United States.