Tate brothers fight extradition to UK over rape and sex-trafficking charges

Social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate will fight extradition to the United Kingdom, their lawyer told a US magistrate in Miami on Monday after the brothers were arrested to face rape and sex-trafficking charges.The Tates appeared in federal court for the first time since their arrest on Saturday and are being held in federal detention. In the coming weeks, a US district judge will consider whether they meet the conditions for extradition.The brothers, normally photographed in tailored suits and stylish fitted shirts, wore tan jail uniforms and handcuffs during the brief hearing.Joseph McBride, an attorney for the brothers, has decried the charges as “filth and slander”. On Sunday, McBride said he was confident the extradition request would be denied.US magistrate Lauren Louis set another hearing for next Monday.Prosecutors in Britain said the new charges relate to four new victims and were brought after authorities received evidence from Bedfordshire police in south-eastern England. The allegations, spanning from 2010 to 2017, include rape, assault, trafficking and offenses relating to “indecent images of a child and extreme pornography”.The brothers are already charged with rape, bodily harm, human trafficking and controlling prostitution for gain relating to three other alleged victims in the UK between 2012 and 2015.Their lawyer said in a statement on Saturday that he believed the arrests were “greenlighted by a low-level functionary” at the justice department without input from leadership.The justice department told the Associated Press that the arrests were approved by leadership of its criminal division.The new allegations are the latest in a long-running international legal saga involving the Tates that has spanned the US, Britain and Romania. The brothers have repeatedly denied wrongdoing.Their social media empire promoting male dominance, misogyny and wealth has made them among the world’s most polarizing internet personalities.The dual US and British citizens moved to Romania in 2016. They were arrested there in 2022, accused of participating in schemes to lure women for sexual exploitation. They denied those allegations and the Romanian case has not gone forward because of legal and procedural problems.Last year, they were allowed to leave Romania and flew to Florida.