The Tate brothers are under criminal investigation in Florida and charged with human trafficking in Romania
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Andrew and Tristan Tate were greeted with open arms at cage-fighting events in Las Vegas over the weekend, where they hugged UFC president Dana White – the multimillionaire and Meta board member who played a prominent role in President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
The Tate brothers – who are under criminal investigation in Florida and charged with human trafficking in Romania – sat cage-side at the UFC 313 event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. They also attended White’s Power Slap 12 showcase at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Friday.
“Welcome to the States, boys,” White said Friday night as he high-fived and hugged the brothers, according to video footage posted to social media.
White’s warm welcome comes days after the Tate brothers arrived back in the United States after Romanian prosecutors lifted a travel ban against them leaving the European country. The brothers landed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Feb. 27, in a private jet.
Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer and self-described misogynist, has risen to be one of the most successful social media influencers among young men and children, with 10 million followers on X alone. But he has been banned across multiple apps – including Facebook, YouTube and TikTok – for hate speech and misogynistic comments. He has previously offered paid online courses aimed at young men looking to make money.
Both Tate brothers have celebrated Trump and his second term – helping them to earn the support of some in the MAGA sphere despite their legal troubles.
“The Tates will be free, Trump is the president. The good old days are back. And they will be better than ever,” Andrew Tate posted on X last month.
The brothers were arrested in 2022 in Romania on charges of human trafficking and forming an organized crime group; Andrew Tate faces a rape charge there as well. The brothers, who are dual American and British citizens, are also subjects of a rape and human trafficking investigation in England. The brothers have generally denied all wrongdoing.
Though an investigation remains open in Romania, a court ruled in December that the case would not go to trial due to legal and procedural issues with the prosecution. When asked whether his administration pressured Romania to release the Tate brothers, Trump on Feb. 27 said, “I know nothing about that.”
“We live in a democratic society where it’s innocent until proven guilty,” Andrew Tate said upon arriving back in the United States, according to the Associated Press. “And I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There’s a lot of opinions about us, things that go around about us on the internet.”
After the Tates’ return, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the brothers were not welcome in the Sunshine State. The Tampa Bay Young Republicans pledged support for the brothers, though, and Andrew later criticized DeSantis in a podcast interview.
Helen Lewis, who wrote about MAGA’s support of Tate for the Atlantic, said in an email that the idea of the brothers “being canceled” was enough for some MAGA voters to cheer for them, even if well-known conservatives such as Megyn Kelly and Ben Shapiro have condemned the brothers.
“It’s hard to see why anyone in the MAGA world would immolate their credibility by backing Andrew and Tristan Tate,” Lewis said. “These are not deep thinkers, skilled politicians or otherwise blameless humanitarians whose actions should be seen in the round. Their entire reputation is based on pimping out women, and ripping off men.”
Representatives for White and UFC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.