Romanian authorities open case against Tristan Tate for election interference
Romanian authorities have opened a formal investigation into British-American influencer Tristan Tate over accusations of violating election laws by posting political content on social media during the country's recent presidential election.
The probe, confirmed by police sources, focuses on a social media post Tate reportedly shared on election day that contained either explicit or implicit political messaging, actions prohibited under Romanian electoral regulations.
Tate, 36, is the younger brother of Andrew Tate, 38, the controversial influencer known for his misogynistic statements. Together, the brothers command a combined social media following exceeding 13 million users.
Both siblings are already under separate investigations in Romania concerning multiple serious charges, which they vehemently deny.
The latest case was initiated by Ilfov county police following an official complaint. Authorities allege that Tristan Tate's post may have attempted to influence Romanian voters, potentially violating laws against foreign interference and campaigning during restricted periods.
Tristan Tate has been summoned for questioning on Tuesday. Official sources confirmed that Andrew Tate is not implicated in this specific investigation.
Meanwhile, Tate himself appeared to address the issue in a video posted on X on election day, stating, 'I am not campaigning. As an American man, using an American platform, in Dubai, to talk about political issues, I am not subject to Romania's 'no campaigning' law.'
The Tate brothers have built a massive online presence in recent years but have faced widespread criticism for offensive remarks about women.
They were arrested in Romania in December 2022, with Andrew accused of rape and human trafficking, and Tristan suspected of human trafficking. Both denied the allegations and were placed under house arrest for several months.
In August 2024, they faced new accusations in Romania, including sex with a minor and trafficking underage persons, charges they also deny.
In the UK, the brothers face 21 charges, ranging from rape and actual bodily harm to human trafficking. Following an arrest warrant issued by Bedfordshire Police in March 2024, the Tates publicly rejected all charges, declaring themselves 'very innocent men.'
Romanian courts ruled they could only be extradited to the UK once the ongoing Romanian proceedings conclude.
Earlier this year, prosecutors unexpectedly lifted a two-year travel ban, allowing the brothers to fly from Romania to Florida by private jet in February 2025. They returned to Romania in March, telling reporters:
'Innocent men don't run from anything.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
31 minutes ago
- Roya News
Iran threatens US bases in response to strikes on nuclear sites
Iran on Sunday threatened US bases in the Middle East after massive air strikes that Washington said had destroyed Tehran's nuclear program, though some officials cautioned that the extent of damage was unclear. International concern intensified that the unprecedented US attacks would deepen conflict in the Middle East after 'Israel' launched a bombing campaign against Iran earlier this month. Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said bases used by US forces could be attacked in retaliation. "Any country in the region or elsewhere that is used by American forces to strike Iran will be considered a legitimate target for our armed forces," he said in a message carried by the official IRNA news agency. "America has attacked the heart of the Islamic world and must await irreparable consequences." President Donald Trump urged Iran to end the conflict after he launched surprise "bunker buster" strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz. "We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the 'bomb' right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!)" he said on social media. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Pentagon press briefing that Iran's nuclear program was "devastated," adding that the operation "did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people." Standing beside Hegseth, top US general Dan Caine said "it would be way too early for me to comment on what may or may not still be there." "Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction." Tehran protests As Iran's leaders struck a defiant tone, President Masoud Pezeshkian also vowed that the United States would "receive a response" to the attacks. People gathered Sunday in the center of Tehran to protest against US and 'Israeli' attacks, waving flags and chanting slogans. In an address to the nation hours after the attack, Trump had claimed total success for the operation, and Vice President JD Vance followed up on Sunday morning. "We know that we set the Iranian nuclear program back substantially last night," he told ABC. But he also suggested Iran still had its highly enriched uranium. "We're going to work in the coming weeks to ensure that we do something with that fuel," he said. "They no longer have the capacity to turn that stockpile of highly enriched uranium to weapons grade uranium." Another Khamenei advisor, Ali Shamkhani, said in a post on X that "even if nuclear sites are destroyed, game isn't over, enriched materials, indigenous knowledge, political will remain." Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CNN there were clear signs of the hit on Fordo. But no one knows "how much it has been damaged," he said. The IAEA said it had not detected any increase in radiation at the nuclear sites and Tehran said there were no signs of contamination. 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prayed for Trump at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday, after hailing the strikes as a move that would "change history." Retaliation risk The 'Israeli' military was also checking the results of the US raid on the deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo, with a spokesman saying it was uncertain if Iran had already removed enriched uranium from the site. The main US strike group was seven B-2 Spirit bombers that flew 18 hours from the American mainland to Iran, Caine said. In response to the attack, which used over a dozen massive "bunker buster" bombs, Iran's armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in 'Israel' including Ben Gurion airport, the country's main international gateway near Tel Aviv. 'Israeli' rescuers said at least 23 people were wounded. In Jerusalem, Claudio Hazan, a 62-year-old software engineer, said he hoped the US intervention would hasten an end to the Iran-'Israel' war. "Israel by itself would not stop... and it would take longer," he said. At least nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in 'Israeli' attacks on central Iran, local media reported, as fighting between the two foes continued. 'Israeli' strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people since they began, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on 'Israel' have killed 24 people, according to official figures. The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticized the US strikes and called for de-escalation. The leaders of France, Germany and Britain urged Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilize the region" and UN chief Antonio Guterres warned of a cycle of retaliation. Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen on Sunday repeated their threat to resume attacks in the Red Sea if Washington joined the war, saying they were ready to target US ships. The US president had stepped up his rhetoric against Iran since 'Israel' first struck the country on June 13, repeating his insistence it could never have nuclear weapons.
Roya News
6 hours ago
- Roya News
Iran moves to close Strait of Hormuz after US strikes on nuclear sites
Iranian state media announced Sunday that the Iranian parliament has approved a motion to shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital oil shipping lanes, in response to US military strikes on multiple nuclear sites inside Iran. The decision now awaits final approval from the Supreme National Security Council. The move marks a dramatic escalation in regional tensions following the latest phase of direct confrontation between Iran and 'Israel,' which has intensified since June 13. What began as a series of aerial attacks quickly evolved into a full-blown military escalation involving the United States. What is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints, serving as the primary gateway for oil exports from the Gulf region. Located between Iran to the north and Oman and the UAE to the south, the narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Roughly 20% of global oil supply, over 17 million barrels per day, passes through this strategic strait, making it vital to international energy markets. Iran has frequently used the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in geopolitical confrontations, threatening to block or disrupt shipping in response to sanctions or military action. The strait has seen numerous incidents over the years, including tanker seizures, naval standoffs, and drone activity. A closure or even a partial disruption of the strait would have severe global economic consequences, likely triggering a spike in oil prices and raising the risk of broader military escalation. United States joins the fight Earlier on Sunday, US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces carried out what he described as a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. In a post on his Truth Social platform, President Trump revealed that a 'full payload of BOMBS' had been dropped on the underground Fordo site, one of Iran's most fortified nuclear facilities. 'All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors,' Trump wrote, calling the operation a 'historic' moment for the United States, 'Israel,' and the world. He later declared in a televised address from the White House that 'IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR.' The strikes came just two days after Trump had signaled a possible two-week window for diplomacy. His sudden change in course has further destabilized the region and raised fears of a broader conflict in the Gulf. Iran comments In response, Iranian officials insisted that there was no immediate threat to civilians living near the affected nuclear sites. 'There is no danger to the people living on the outskirts of our nuclear areas,' said government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani on state TV. 'The people of Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo can continue their lives.' The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz would pose a major threat to global energy markets and could draw a wider international response. Experts warn that if implemented, the closure would not only escalate the conflict but could also trigger economic and security shocks far beyond the region. Military analysts suggest that Iran's decision to prepare such a move signals its intent to retaliate strategically rather than immediately escalate militarily. However, with regional powers on high alert and the US and 'Israeli' militaries continuing their operations, the risk of further confrontation remains high.
Ammon
10 hours ago
- Ammon
UK informed ahead of US strikes on Iran, no request for help, minister says
Ammon News - Britain was informed of the U.S. military strikes on Iran ahead of time, but did not receive any U.S. request for their shared Diego Garcia air base in the Indian Ocean to be used, senior minister Jonathan Reynolds said on Sunday. U.S. President Donald Trump said he had "obliterated" Iran's main nuclear sites in strikes overnight, in a major new escalation of conflict in the Middle East as Tehran vowed to reserve all options to defend itself. Reynolds said Britain had not taken part in the strikes, though it had previously moved military assets to the region and would take "all action necessary" to defend its key allies if they came under threat. He added that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was talking to Britain's allies on Sunday. "I know often because of British military assets, RAF Akrotiri (in Cyprus) or Diego Garcia, sometimes that request is made. And this was not a situation where that request was made," Reynolds, the business and trade minister, told Sky News. Diego Garcia is a strategically important UK-U.S. military base located in the Chagos Islands. Reynolds said Britain knew about the strike in advance. "I can't tell you exactly when we did know, but we were informed, as you might expect," he said. Reynolds said that the government was in "active conversations" about chartering aircraft to get people out of the region within "hours, not days", pending the possible reopening of Israeli airspace. Britain's foreign ministry said it was preparing for a charter flight "early next week", adding that British nationals and their dependants in Israel and the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories who were interested should register their details. Reuters
