Andrew Tate police win bid to grab greater than £2m from influencer and his brother Tristan over claims they owe thousands and thousands in unpaid tax
Police can seize more than £2million from controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan after they failed to pay any tax on £21 million of revenue from their online businesses, the chief magistrate has ruled.
Devon and Cornwall Police made a legal bid to seize the money, held in seven frozen bank accounts, from the Tate brothers and a woman identified only as J.
In his judgment handed down at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring said what appeared to be a ‘complex financial matrix’ was actually a ‘straightforward cheat of the revenue’.
The court previously heard the brothers paid just under 12million US dollars into an account in the name of J, and opened a second account in her name even though she had no role in their businesses.
Part of the money the force applied to seize was cryptocurrency held in an account in J’s name.
J received a payment of £805,000 into her Revolut account, the court previously heard.
The proceedings are civil, which carries a lower standard of proof than criminal cases.
Police can seize more than £2million from controversial influencer Andrew Tate (left) and his brother Tristan (right) over claims they failed to pay tax
Both Andrew and Tate can be seen arriving at the Bucharest Court of Appeal on December 10
The court previously heard the brothers paid just under 12million US dollars into an account in the name of J, even though she had no role in their businesses
Sarah Clarke KC for Devon and Cornwall Police previously said in July: ‘Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate are serial tax and VAT evaders.
‘They, in particular Andrew Tate, are brazen about it.’
Ms Clarke quoted from a video posted online by Andrew Tate, in which he said: ‘When I lived in England I refused to pay tax.’
The court heard he said his approach was ‘ignore, ignore, ignore because in the end they go away’.
Earlier this year, the court heard the brothers had ‘a huge number of bank accounts’ in the UK, seven of which have been frozen.
Ms Clarke said that money ‘washed around UK bank accounts’ that were used ‘as a mechanism for moving revenues from their business activities through a wide number of accounts’.
She told the court: ‘That’s what tax evasion looks like, that’s what money laundering looks like.’
The money came from products they sold online as well as their OnlyFans sites. The Tates are accused of failing to pay tax and money laundering in both the UK and Romania, the court heard.
It is claimed the brothers paid just under $12 million into an account in J’s name and opened a second account in her name, even though she had no role in their businesses.
Devon and Cornwall Police allege that this was fraud by false misrepresentation.
Money from businesses, including Cobra Tate, Hustlers’ University and War Room was paid into the first account, held with Stripe, and the majority of payments out went to one of Andrew Tate’s accounts.
Gary Pons, for J, previously argued that the funds in the Gemini account were in cryptocurrency and therefore could not be frozen at that time.
The claim comes after the brothers celebrated legal victory after courts in Romania ruled they were free to leave the country after two years.
Tate, who is a former kickboxer and controversial internet personality, posted a video to X, formerly Twitter, announcing the news this afternoon, declaring ‘I AM FREE… THE SHAM CASE IS FALLING APART’.
The 38-year-old, and his brother, 36, were charged in mid-2023 with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women, which they deny.
Romanian prosecutors formally indicted Tate in June along with his brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women in the same case.
All four were arrested in late December 2022 near Bucharest and have denied the allegations against them.
A spokesperson for the brothers said: ‘The Romanian courts have ruled in favour of Andrew and Tristan Tate, lifting restrictions on their travel within the European Union,’ adding: ‘This represents a significant victory and a major step forward in the ongoing case.’
They went on to say that the decision ‘is a strong affirmation of our clients’ fundamental right to free movement, a cornerstone principle of the European Union.
Andrew and Tristan’s lawyer, Eugene Vidineac said: ‘We embrace and applaud the decision of the court today, I consider it a reflection of the exemplary behaviour and assistance of my clients.
‘Andrew and Tristan are still determined to clear their name and reputation; however, they are grateful to the courts for placing this trust in them.
‘For the brothers, who have faced limitations on their movement for nearly two years, this ruling is a welcome relief.
‘It allows them to resume their lives with greater freedom and peace of mind. They are now able to travel freely throughout the EU to pursue professional opportunities without restriction.’
In Tate’s video announcing the ruling, he paced through what appeared to be a garage lined with supercars while shirtless and said: ‘For the first time in nearly three years, the judge has decided I can leave Romania.’
He also referred to the charges as a ‘sham case’ before referencing a platform that says it teaches the skill of money-making.
Tate repeats these sentiments in the video, adding: ‘The process is the punishment, in the end I’ll be innocent.’
He also protested his innocence in the one-minute-and-20-second clip.
