A London court has ruled in favor of UK police, allowing them to seize more than £2 million ($2.5 million) from the bank accounts of controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, to settle millions in unpaid taxes.
The judgment, delivered on Wednesday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, permits the seizure of funds from seven frozen bank accounts linked to the brothers. The decision comes as the pair face a separate hearing in Bucharest on Thursday to determine if they will stand trial on charges of human trafficking and rape.
UK police alleged that the Tates evaded taxes on £21 million in revenue generated from their online businesses between 2014 and 2022. The case, brought by Devon and Cornwall Police, also involves a third individual referred to only as “J.”
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring, in his ruling, described the brothers’ financial dealings as appearing to be a “complex financial matrix” but ultimately concluded it was a “straightforward cheat” of the UK tax system.
During an earlier hearing, police lawyer Sarah Clarke presented evidence, including a video posted by Andrew Tate in which he claimed, “When I lived in England, I refused to pay tax.” He purportedly outlined a strategy to “ignore, ignore, ignore” tax obligations, believing authorities would eventually desist.
Clarke further alleged that the brothers operated “a huge number of bank accounts” in the UK, through which money “washed around,” adding, “That’s what tax evasion looks like, that’s what money laundering looks like.”
The court heard that the brothers’ income stemmed from products sold online and their OnlyFans subscription sites.
Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer, moved to Romania several years ago after initially running a webcam business in the UK. He later gained notoriety through social media, where his controversial and often misogynistic videos have attracted a global following.
The brothers remain in Romania, where they await the Bucharest court’s decision on their criminal charges. Meanwhile, the UK ruling underscores the ongoing legal challenges they face on multiple fronts.
